Kingdumb Hearts II
by P.T. Piranha
Summary: Join Sora, Donald, and Goofy with various friends and enemies as they go through Kingdom Hearts II, only funnier. Can they reunite with Riku and King Mickey while keeping the Heartless and Organization XIII from messing up the worlds?
1. Six Long, Agonizing Days

Kingdumb Hearts II

By P.T. Piranha

**Prologue: Six Long, Agonizing Days**

_A far-off memory that's like a memory that is not nearby._

_A scattered dream that's like a dream that has been scattered._

_I want to line the pieces up. … C'mon please? I'll be your friend. Fine. Your far-off dreams and scattered memories were stupid anyway._

_"SACNTUARYYYYYYYYYYYYYY, YAH!"_

* * *

><p>Two figures in black, hooded cloaks stood on a beach. The tall one spoke in a deep voice, the other remained silent.<p>

"So… How's it going?" asked the tall figure. The other did not speak. "Seen any good movies?" No dice. "Well you're certainly rude. Just like him. I am all that's left. Or maybe all that there ever was. You catch my drift?"

The shorter figure did not respond, much to the chagrin of the taller one. Finally though, he had one question.

"What is your name?"

"That is not important." was the taller man's answer.

* * *

><p>Roughly 358 days or so after that conversation, a boy with blonde, spiky hair could be seen in bed.<p>

"Whoa… that was a weird dream. I should cut back on the pasta." The boy got up on his knees on the bed and opened the window. "Aaaaah! The sun! It burns my eyeballs!"

_**TWILIGHT TOWN**_

* * *

><p><em><strong>DAY 1<strong>_

Later that day, the boy got dressed and went to a back alley to hang out with his friends. One was a boy in green, one was a fat boy, and the other was a girl in orange.

**Name: Roxas**  
><strong>Rating: Prime Fangirl Bait<strong>

"I can't believe it!" lamented the green boy. "Seifer's telling everyone that we stole stuff, and the town's believing him!"

**Name: Hayner**  
><strong>Awards: Gold Medal in National Extreme Underwater Seifer Hating<strong>

"I mean, that just grinds my gears!"

"You're telling me!" said the fat kid, Pence.

**Name: Pence**  
><strong>Note: Doesn't actually know what "Dogstreet" means.<strong>

Hayner glared. "You only talk when I tell you to talk, Pence! We agreed!"

"Sorry." As Pence apologized, the girl just rolled her eyes.

**Name: Olette**  
><strong>Arrest Record: Accidentally stabbed someone in a fight over a watermelon. Doesn't like to talk about it.<strong>

"Hayner," the girl started, "do you think that maybe if you calmed down, we'd be able to-" but Hayner cut her off.

"Zip it! I'm complaining over here!"

Olette put her hand to her face. "How'd you guys become my only friends again?"

"Roxas! Opinion! Now! Agree with me!" Hayner barked. Roxas looked up from his daydreams.

"I wasn't daydreaming about ice cream on the clock tower again, I swear! Uh what? Oh, Seifer? Yeah he's a total bag."

Hayner nodded. "Good job, Roxas. I'm glad someone around here knows how to have a conversation. You always were my favorite friend. Let's avenge our good names by beating the crap out of Seifer!"

Roxas stood up. "Umm… Remind me again, what does he think we stole?"

Hayner headed out into the alley. "Heck if I know. Now c'mon, let's go beat Seifer before I calm down and become rational!"

* * *

><p>"The _ was undeniable proof that we totally owned you lamers!" Seifer yelled.<p>

**Name: Seifer**  
><strong>Hobby: Owning lamers and documenting it with undeniable proof<strong>

**Name: Rai**  
><strong>Catchphrase: "Y'know?"<strong>

**Name: Fuu**  
><strong>In Five Words: Minimalist speaker.<strong>

**Name: Vivi**  
><strong>Manliness: 310**

"Lamers?" Olette asked. "What is this, Surfer Central?"

"That's bogus!" Seifer yelled. "None of you can handle the radical power of the Seifinator! Oh yeah, baby!"

"Seifer's pretty awesome, y'know?" Rai announced. "He's got a deal with these guys called Square! He's getting a game! _The Legend of Seifer_!"

Fuu nodded. "Theme park too. Seiferland."

"Also-" Vivi started, but Seifer kicked him.

"You don't talk unless the Seifinator allows it, shorty!"

Roxas had had enough, and picked up a foam club. "Okay, you're annoying."

Roxas started beaing Seifer with the club over and over.

"Ow! Ow! Ow! Stop! Ow! Pain! Ow! Foam pain! Ow! Ow! Mommy! This isn't romantic! Ouch! Oof! Ow!"

Rai, Fuu, and Vivi could do nothing but watch as Roxas repeatedly bopped their leader on the head. Rai turned to Fuu.

"I think we should help Seifer, y'know?"

"Wouldn't help."

Vivi piped up. "I think maybe-"

"Quiet." Fuu ordered, which made Vivi slouch in depression.

"_Don't worry, my liege. I shall save you._" announced a strange voice. A deformed, white creature with a zipper for a mouth jumped up to Seifer, stole the camera, and floated away.

"It went to the Old Mansion! Follow it, Roxas!" Hayner said.

"What? Wait, first of all-"

"Do it!"

"Fine, fine!" Roxas complied with a sigh. "Sheesh, you're such a nag."

* * *

><p>Roxas finally followed the monster to the Old Mansion.<p>

"_We have come for you, my liege._" the monster bellowed.

"What does that mean?"

"_Well you see- AAAAH!_" the monster's explanation was cut short by Roxas attacking it with a giant key. Roxas spoke up.

"I'm sorry, I couldn't hear you over the sound of me stabbing this giant key into your chest. … How'd I get this thing, anyway?"

The monster died and left nothing behind, but the camera and some photos. Roxas picked one up.

"That's Pence's mom at the Christmas party! … I'll just save that one for later…" Roxas started gathering the photos.

* * *

><p>"So you got them back?" Olette asked her friend. Roxas nodded.<p>

"Yep. Oh except the monster… umm… ate the one of Pence's mom. Yeah that's it. Sorry, Pence."

* * *

><p><em>-Pluto licks Sora awake.<em>

_-Sora: Hello doggy._

…

_-Leon: I pout. Also I am not Squall._

…

_-Donald: *unintelligible quacking*_

_-Goofy: I'm Goofy! Gawrsh, it's nice ta meet ya!_

…

_-Jafar: I tell ya, I sure don't like Sora. Today's a beautiful day… yay._

* * *

><p><em><strong>DAY 2<strong>_

"Guys let's go to the beach! Right now!" Hayner said. He was ranting in front of his friends in their usual hangout place.

"Uh, Hayner? We're kind of short." said Olette.

"Don't be stupid, Pence is the short one! You're at a pretty normal height for your age." Hayner assured his female friend.

"She's talking about Munny, jack***." Roxas spoke coldly.

"Oh. Nuts. Well how much do we need?" Hayner asked.

"Well if we think of this mathematically-" Pence started, but was interrupted by Hayner once more.

"English, snack mule! English!"

"… 5,000 Munny. That's including the cost of watermelons. Heaven knows if we don't get watermelons, Olette will kill us."

"Darn right." Olette agreed.

"Aw man…" Hayner and Roxas were depressed. Olette gave them both looks.

"Guys it's not so bad. If we just play a few mini-games, we'll have money by the end of the day!" the girl stated.

"Work? Come on!" Hayner said. "Pence and Roxas might do good since they're my chore monkeys, but I can't do squat besides Struggle!"

"Remind me again, why are we friends?" Roxas asked.

And thus Roxas did most of the work required to raise the money for the trip to the beach. It was not long before they were all outside the train station.

"Hey guys, ever feel like you've seen a giant knight in clown shoes or had your best friend die in your arms? I don't know why that thought just popped into my head when we got here." asked Roxas.

"Cool story bro." Hayner lied. "Oh awesome, the trains are still running!"

"Yoink." A guy in a black cloak ran by and stole Olette's pouch full of the hard-earned Munny. He laughed like an idiot all the way into the underground concourse.

"… Well crap." Roxas said.

* * *

><p>As a consolation, the four friends sat atop the clock tower to eat Sea Salt Ice Cream.<p>

"Oh man this is the most fantastical thing ever!" Roxas cheered. "Yeah! All right! Ice cream! On the tower! With friends! Best day ever!" The young man was content to eat his ice cream, regardless of the fact that he was cheated out of a beach trip.

"Dude, it's just ice cream. Calm down." Olette told him. "Now if these were watermelons, then I might understand."

* * *

><p><em>-Triton: Don't go screwing around with other worlds!<em>

_..._

_-Ariel: I want to see more worlds!_

_..._

_-Philoctetes: You're Junior Heroes. Whoopee. Maybe we'll celebrate when you become _actual_ heroes._

_..._

_-Aladdin: Genie, I wish you were free!_

_-Genie: Hot dog!_

_..._

_-Jack Skellington: I've ruined Halloween!_

_-Sally: There's always next year, Jack._

_..._

_-Sora: Uh... Summon! ... Summon! Come on, come out alrea-_

_-Mushu: I'm the great and powerful Mushu!_

_..._

_-Riku: Ooh, look at Mr. Bigshot and his Keyblade!_

_..._

_-Sora: Wow, I flew! I can't wait to tell Ka-_[MEMORY NOT FOUND]

_..._

_-Sora: Bye, Cloud!_

_-Cloud: Whatever._

_..._

_-Piglet: Bye, Sora!_

_..._

_-Riku: You like Donald and Goofy more than K_[MEMORY NOT FOUND]_ and me!_

_..._

_Riku... and her..._

* * *

><p><em><strong>DAY 3<strong>_

The next day, Roxas was minding his own business while walking around. That's when Pence and Olette showed up.

"Roxaaaaaaas! Olette's making me go shopping with her! Make her stop!" Pence cried.

"A deal's a deal." Olette reminded her portly friend. At that instant, the two froze in time.

"… What? … I mean, what?" Roxas was confused. A pale girl in a white dress appeared out of nowhere.

"Hi Roxas."

"… Uhhh, hi?"

**Name: Namine**  
><strong>Ability: Doing stuff with the thing and the stuff<strong>

"Bye Roxas."

"Uh, bye?"

Namine walked away, and time resumed. Pence and Olette took no notice.

"Ya gotta get me out of this, Roxas! Please!"

Roxas started going in the direction that Namine went. "Uh yeah guys I'd love to sort out your squabble, but I'm busy. Bye!"

* * *

><p>"How dare you beat up Seifer, y'know?" Rai barked at Roxas upon his arrival at the Sandlot.<p>

"Seif-Man is very displeased with you, Roxas." Seifer crossed his arms and glared.

The last thing Roxas needed were these brutes crying to him. "… So can I go now, or are you guys gonna keep harassing me?"

"Harassment." Fuu responded. A white monster like the one from two days ago knocked her down and latched onto Rai's face.

"AAAH! GET IT OFF! … Y'KNOW!"

"Oh if only I knew Black Magic!" Vivi complained. Seifer picked him Vivi and threw him.

"Sacrifice!" Seifer shouted. Rai turned at the wrong moment, making Vivi hit him instead of the monster.

"Ow! Seifer, learn how to aim, y'know?"

"Shut up! I'm Seifer and therefore have the best aim ever!"

Suddenly Roxas found himself on a platform with pictures of Sora, his friends, Donald, and Goofy.

"Uh, where am I right now?"

_Hey Roxas man, here's what ya gotta do. Ya gotta pick the sword, or the shield, or the wand, see? Then ya gotta pull a heist, see?_

"… So my inner consciousness is a gangster? I never would have guessed…"

A giant, white monster with a blue scarf appeared and started roaring.

"I hate today!" Roxas declared. The monster stomped on the platform the two were standing on, causing Roxas to start falling. "I really, really do!"

The monster tried to grab the boy, but he jumped and slashed the creature's head with his Keyblade. The Twilight Thorn disappeared, and everything turned to white.

* * *

><p>Roxas woke up in the sandlot to find Seifer standing proudly over his body with Rai taking picture.<p>

"Eat your heart out, lamer! Now I have _new_ undeniable proof that I totally own you! … Oh hey it's your stupid friends."

Roxas looked over to see Hayner, Pence, and Olette showing up.

"Guys it's not what it looks like-" but Roxas fell victim to Hayner's interruption tendency.

"Save it for the Struggle ring! You're toast!"

* * *

><p><em>-Riku: That's it, I'm taking the Keyblade back! It's mine, and I'm gonna open the special door!<em>

_..._

_-Goofy: You might have the Keyblade, but I wanna stay with Sora!_

_-Donald: *nods head*_

_..._

_-Sora: See that, Riku? My friends are my power!_

_..._

_-Beast: You're pretty good, Sora._

_..._

_-Enigmatic Man: If I may take a sample of your memories..._

_..._

_-Riku?: My real name is Ansem!_

_..._

_-Riku/Ansem: Darkness!_

_-Sora: No! Bad Riku! You're not getting Kairi's heart!_

_-Riku/Ansem: But Darkness!_

_-Sora: I said no!_

_-Riku/Ansem: Grrrr... Darkness._

_..._

_-Sora: *turns into a Heartless*_

_..._

_-Kairi: *turns the Heartless back into Sora*_

_..._

_-Leon: All right, cool. Seeya Sora._

_..._

_-Kairi: Here, it's my good luck charm._

_-Sora: Neato! I'll bring it back when all of this is over!_

* * *

><p><em><strong>DAY 4<strong>_

A big stage was set up in the sandlot, and most of the town was gathered around for it.

"All righty everyone! None of you are as big a Struggle fan as I am, but let's get this show on the road!" said the announcer. "In the white corner, the town's own disciplinarian, the Seifinator himself, Seifer!"

"I'm awesome!" Seifer announced.

"You sure are, y'know?"

"In the blue corner, fan favorite, Vivi!"

"Hi." Vivi said. Rai took the opportunity to throw a tomato at him… and miss.

"My eye!" screamed Pence.

"In the green corner, cranky boss guy, Hayner!"

"I'm more awesome than Seifer!"

"False." Fuu told him.

"And lastly, in the yellow corner, Roxas!"

"How come I don't get a nickname?" asked the boy. But the announcer kept talking.

"And they will compete for a shot at taking on the champion, Setzer!"

**Name: Setzer**  
><strong>Limit Break: Red Card<strong>

"Hahaha. No one will ever find out that I'm Edgar in disguise as Setzer! … Wait, I wasn't supposed to say that out loud."

* * *

><p><strong>Round 1 - Hayner vs. Roxas<strong>

Roxas and Hayner were in the ring. Roxas was a bit nervous about facing his friend, but Hayner had fire in his eyes. Roxas thought quickly.

"Hayner look out, it's a robot!"

"That won't work."

"Yeah you're right, it's just Pence."

"Where?" Hayner turned around completely. Roxas was dumbfounded. He quickly shook it off and beat the blue orbs out of him to take the victory.

* * *

><p><strong>Round 2 - Seifer vs. Vivi<strong>

Vivi started the match by tripping Seifer, walking up to his body, and lightly tapping him with his club.

"Feel like quitting?" asked the little boy. Seifer shook his head in disbelief. "Oh wait, I have it set to 'Mild'." Vivi set his club to 'Bitter' and proceeded to wipe the floor with Seifer.

"Owww! How can the Seifmaster lose? This is impossible!"

* * *

><p><strong>Round 3 - Roxas vs. Vivi<strong>

"Okay so you can beat Seifer all of a sudden. Big deal, I can do that in my sleep!" Roxas boasted. Time stopped and Vivi turned into another white monster. "Aw nuts."

Roxas quickly beat up the monsters, causing a man in a black cloak and spiky, red hair to appear.

"Who are you?" Roxas questioned. "Are you that guy who took my money?"

"What? No! Don't you remember me, Roxas?"

Roxas stared blankly.

"You know... Axel? Still have it memorized?"

**Name: Axel**  
><strong>Favorite Mental Pastime: Memorization<strong>

Roxas was confused. "Who are you?"

"I just told you, I'm Axel! You haven't gotten it memorized!"

"Ax… el?"

"Oh so you have gotten it memor-

"Stop saying that phrase!" the boy demanded. "What do you want, already?"

"You need to come with me."

"But… I'm Struggling. Can't it wait?"

"Never!"

"Then I'm staying right here!"

"Ugh… Number 13, you always were a stubborn one… Feel the heat!" Axel threw a fireball at Roxas, but the boy dodged and nailed Axel in the Adam's Apple with the Keyblade.

"Oops. I meant for your face. Sorry."

"AAAH! This is the worst pain! I'm leaving!" Axel disappeared. Time started once more.

"The winner is Roxas!"

"Umm…" Roxas was confused. "… Sure, I'll take it."

* * *

><p><strong>Championship - Roxas vs. Setzer<strong>

"Hey kid." Setzer whispered. "Throw the match and you can have the Blackjack. Setzer won't miss- I mean I won't miss it. I'm not Edgar in disguise. Honest."

"No way!" Roxas then beat the orbs out of Setzer and won in record time.

"Just know this, Rucksack. Whatever you think is right, is wrong."

Roxas smirked. "But I thought you were pretty good."

"Uhh, except that! That part is right!"

"Sorry, but apparently I'm wrong."

"Screw you!" Setzer yelled. "Wait 'til I get Sabin here, he'll mess you up!"

"And the winner is Roxas!" the announcer cheered. "You get this belt and a weird trophy." Roxas's eyes lit up. He had actually managed to win something.

* * *

><p>The four friends were sitting on the clock tower. Roxas had pulled the crystals off the trophy and given one to each of his friends. Roxas kept the blue one. Olette then remembered something important.<p>

"Oh that reminds me, I got us all ice cream."

"ICE CREAM, **** YEAH!" Roxas shouted. However in his excitement, he lost balance and fell off the tower.

* * *

><p>On an island somewhere, a girl with red hair put a letter in a bottle in the water. Her friend was confused.<p>

**Name: Kairi**  
><strong>Rating: T for Teen<strong>

**Name: Selphie**  
><strong>Lucky Number: 238523589290<strong>

"So Selphie, I decided I'd send this letter in a bottle to a boy I don't remember."

"Weirdo."

* * *

><p>A man with his face wrapped in a red belt sat at a computer. By him, stood the cloaked figure who took Roxas's money.<p>

"So... Namine should be done with Sora pretty soon." the red man said.

The cloaked man was confused. "If she's a Nobody, then who is she the Nobody of?"

"First tell me your name."

The cloaked man removed his hood. He was a dark-skinned man with long, silver hair.

**Name: Ansem**  
><strong>Favorite Thing: Darkness<strong>

"Ansem."

"Hahahahaha! ... I'm such a monster." The other man broke from his laughter.

* * *

><p><strong><em>DAY 5<em>**

Roxas was hanging out with his friends the next day.

"So we should probably get to that summer assignment." Olette said. The boys collectively sighed.

"Man! An assignment on Summer Break! How do they get away with pulling stuff like that?" Hayner was furious. "So what should we do?"

"Let's disprove the Seven Wonders of Twilight Town!" Pence suggested. Hayner shrugged.

"Eh why not?"

"I say we call the Mythbusters." Roxas said.

"Good call, that'll save us a lot of work." Hayner pulled out his phone. "... Augh! No signal! Come on, let's just do it ourselves..."

The gang went off to disprove all of the rumors. Each one could easily be explained, though there was one that everyone wanted to save for tomorrow. Roxas decided that he could not wait, grabbed Pence, and went to the site of the final mystery- the old mansion.

* * *

><p>Pence and Roxas were outside the old mansion, though it was clear Pence had reservations about this.<p>

"So what's this myth?" Roxas asked his friend.

"I dunno dude, this one kinda creeps me ou-"

"Just tell me!"

"Well according to the legend, there's a girl in the top floor window sometimes. It's weird."

"Oh you mean her? I see her right now!" Roxas pointed at one of the windows. Namine was the girl in the window. She noticed Roxas and Pence, so she quickly hid.

"I didn't see anything." Pence told him. "I'm going home."

* * *

><p><em>"So I messed with Sora's memories a year ago. But I'm putting them back together. It's been taking me a long time, but I'm almost done. Because of who you are, you're being affected too." Namine explained.<em>

_"How'd we get in this room?" asked Roxas. "... Eh, not weirder than anything else lately. So why are you doing all this?"_

_"I have power over Sora's memory, and the memories of everyone who has to do with him."_

_"Uh-huuuh..."_

_"You weren't supposed to exist."_

_"Gee, thanks..." Roxas rolled his eyes._

* * *

><p>"Ansem, do you remember yet? The boy?"<p>

Ansem nodded. "Yep."

"Soon, everyone will remember Sora. And soon, my revenge will be complete. Now we gotta get rid of Namine."

* * *

><p><em>-Goofy: Gawrsh, we're at the end of the world now, boys!<em>

_..._

_-Ansem: Darkness! It's what's for dinner!_

_-Sora: No! Kingdom Hearts isn't full of darkness! It's light!_

…

_-Ansem: Kingdom HEEEEEEEARTS! FILL me with the POWER of DARKNESS!_

_-Kingdom Hearts: *shines light on Ansem*_

_-Ansem: But... but why?_

_-Kingdom Hearts: Because **** you._

_..._

_-Mickey: Come on, Sora! Let's close the door together!_

…

_-Sora: See you, Kairi. I'll be back with Riku someday._

_-Kairi: Bye Sora. Be safe!_

…

_-Sora: So... how'd we get into this field? ... Oh well. So, where to find Riku and King Mickey..._

_-Donald: *unintelligible quacking*_

_-Goofy: You said it Donald, I don't know how we got in our normal clothes again._

_..._

_-Marluxia: ... Hi._

* * *

><p><em>"… Or maybe all that ever was. You catch my drift?" said the tall figure on the beach.<em>

_"What is your name?" asked the smaller figure, who turned out to be Roxas._

* * *

><p><em><strong>DAY 6<strong>_

Roxas walked up to his friends on the sixth day. "Man did I not get any-" Roxas's friends walked right through him as if he were a holograph. "Uh, what?"

"Roxas!" announced a new voice. "To the mansion!"

"Yes sir, Christopher Lee!"

"No, I'm DiZ."

"Sure you are. See you."

Roxas went to the back alley, but Axel was standing there, waiting for him.

"Wait!" said Axel.

"Oh it's you again..." Roxas sighed.

"Come on Roxas! You've got to remember me!"

"We… were friends?"

"Yes! We were! Remember anything else? How about that time we ate ice cream with some broad on the clock tower?"

"I don't remember." Roxas then ran off to the mansion.

"... So that's how it is." Axel said, grimly.

* * *

><p>The young man arrived in the white room on the top floor. He looked at a drawing and started getting a headache.<p>

* * *

><p><em>Roxas was walking through a dark city. Axel was there.<em>

"_So you're just gonna leave? Just like that?" Axel said._

"_Yep. Oh and you might wanna get an ambulance for Saix. He's not doing so hot."_

"_If you leave, they'll kill you."_

"_Pfft! I took Saix on my own! No one would destroy me."_

"_That's not true… I would. … Wait, I thought you were gonna say something else." Axel said, realizing his folly. But it was too late, Roxas had left._

* * *

><p>"So you're not supposed to exist." said Namine. Roxas turned around.<p>

"You don't say. … Wait, were you there the whole time?"

Roxas did not get his answer, as the man who sounded like Christopher Lee showed up. He had red bandage wrapped around his head.

**Name: DiZ**  
><strong>Skills: Proficiency in being insensitive<strong>

"All right kid, no need to spoil everything." DiZ grabbed Namine and headed for a portal. The cloaked Ansem was also there.

"Come on, DiZ! We don't have time!"

The girl seemed nervous now. "Roxas! We'll meet again soon! It won't actually be soon, but for a long time, but still! We won't recognize each other at first, but we will meet!"

"Shut up already!" DiZ ordered. They were gone. Roxas looked around, alone.

"… She draws like a little kid."

* * *

><p>It wasn't long before Roxas accidentally found himself in DiZ's computer basement. "Technology? Destroy!" Roxas whipped out a Keyblade and smashed DiZ's computers to pieces with it. "That felt good. Today was a good day." He noticed another door. "Now what?"<p>

* * *

><p>Roxas found some monsters in the next room. Once he beat them to a pulp, Axel walked in.<p>

"Okay Roxas, enough is enough! I don't care what history we share! I'm going to end you!"

Roxas glared. Another Kingdom Key appeared in his hands, but they turned into specialized models. One was Oathkeeper, the other was Oblivion.

"Wait, you can have two? No fair!" Axel whined.

"What? You're joking! You have two weapons too, you know!"

Axel sighed. "For the last time, these are dual weapons! It can't work without both, yours can! Got it memorized?"

"Memorize this!" Roxas yelled. He jumped over to Axel and beat him silly.

"Ow! Ow! Ow! No fair, I wasn't ready! Ow! BURN!" Axel set himself on fire, causing Roxas to back off in pain, though thankfully none of the damage was severe.

"Ready to give up?"

"Aw man, screw the Organization and you! I'm out! And I don't care if you memorize it!"

Axel warped away, leaving Roxas alone. The blonde sighed.

"I think I hurt his feelings. Aw man, today sucks."

* * *

><p>Roxas walked into a hallway and found Donald and Goofy asleep in suspended animation within pods.<p>

"I knew about the rumors concerning Walt Disney's head, but Donald and Goofy too? This is too much! This day is too much! … Oh hey, big door." Roxas forgot about the pods and walked into the final room of the mansion. There was a large egg in the center and bright, white lights.

DiZ appeared. "Hey Roxas. Before you assault me, I am no more than a mere holograph, so-" but Roxas kept trying to slash at him. "Roxas, pay attention."

"Why won't you die, demon mummy man?"

"Unbelievable. Anyway, it's time for Sora to wake up. He has friends and a family that miss him. … Or at least friends, I'm not sure about his family."

"I hate you! You ruined my life!"

DiZ chuckled. "Oh, you were messed up long before I found you."

"But I don't remember!"

"You'd be a lot worse off if you did. Now come on, time to get into the pod. C'mon Roxas. C'mon. Who's a good boy? Who's a good boy?" DiZ's only feedback was a cold glare of pure hatred. "Please?"

Roxas charged at the old man with his Keyblade, but DiZ disappeared. The large pod opened, revealing an unconscious Sora. He seemed older now, compared to the younger boy from Roxas's dreams. Roxas looked down and dropped his Keyblade.

"I give up. You win, Sora. I'll stop now..."

_**Kingdom Hearts II: Electric Boogaloo**_

* * *

><p>Roxas - "Hey wait, what kinda sad moment is this if we have a stupid title? Lame!"<p>

Wakka - "Quit crying! Think of it as happy festival fireworks, ya? At least you weren't reduced to a mere mention, ya?"

**To be continued.**


	2. Back and No Better Than Ever

**Chapter 1: Back and No Better Than Ever**

_Nothingness. All that could be heard was Roxas's voice._

_"Sora? … Sora, wake up. … Come on, I didn't give up my individual being just so you could stay right there! … Guys, he's not waking up!"_

_A young girl's voice spoke up. "Did we do something wrong?"_

_"Try shaking him!" said a second voice that sounded just like Roxas's._

"Huh?" Sora was confused. He sounded much older than before.

_There was quacking and another voice._

_"Gawrsh Sora, ya gotta wake up some time! We gotta find out where we are!"_

_"Donald? Goofy? How do you guys know Jesse McCartney?" Sora's voice was finally heard._

* * *

><p>Sora woke up in his pod to find Donald and Goofy standing there.<p>

"Donald! Goofy!" the boy returned to his friends. "Man, what happened?"

**Name: Sora**  
><strong>Rating: Awesome<strong>

**Name: Donald**  
><strong>Opinion on Pancakes: Loves 'em.<strong>

**Name: Goofy**  
><strong>Only Regret: He forgot to feed his grasshopper, Wilbur, before leaving Disney Castle.<strong>

"Gawrsh, I guess we forgot. Donald, what all happened?"

Donald started quacking in response. It was quacking that only one who had spent substantial amount of time around Donald could understand. The duck recapped their first adventure. They went and stopped Ansem and the Heartless from covering all the worlds in darkness, and then they began to search for King Mickey, as well as Sora's friend Riku.

"Well li'l buddy, that's all I know too."

"Yeah me too."

"I think I know!" Jiminy Cricket said as he leaped from inside Sora's hood.

**Name: Jiminy Cricket**  
><strong>Relevance: Less than his journal<strong>

"My journal will tell us! Lessee… Nope! Nothin'! Well actually..."

_THANK NAMINE_

"Wonder what that means... Oh well!" Jiminy went back to hiding in Sora's hood.

"Well then… Let's get out of here…" said Sora, but he realized something. "Oh crap, I gotta use the bathroom!"

"… Gawrsh, me too!" Goofy realized, and Donald's frenzied quacks signaled the same message.

* * *

><p>The trio were standing outside the mansion. Sora seemed both satisfied and confused. "Well okay, we got out… but we still don't know where we are."<p>

Donald started quacking.

"Fine Donald, okay! Sheesh…" Sora was offended. As per Donald's advice, they decided to go look around.

* * *

><p>Sora, Donald, and Goofy started to head around town. Their first destination was Hayner, Pence, and Olette's hangout spot. But the whole time, Sora was confused.<p>

"Hey Donald, does this place seem kinda familiar to you?" Donald's quacking indicated that he did not find Twilight Town familiar. The friends entered the hangout spot and immediately incurred Hayner's wrath.

"How dare you monkeys enter our hangout spot! I hate you!"

"Please leave." Olette told Sora and friends. "Not because we hate you, but so Hayner doesn't humiliate himself in front of you and take it out on Pence."

"Run while you still can, hurry!" Pence ordered.

"Uhh…" Sora couldn't believe what was going on. "Right… leaving."

* * *

><p>As Sora, Donald, and Goofy were heading past the sandlot, they passed Seifer.<p>

"Hey stay out of the Seifmaster's domain!" yelled Seifer. Rai folded his arms and nodded.

"He'll mess you up, y'know!"

"Leave." was Fuu's only word on the matter. The Struggle announcer showed up.

"Hey Seifer! I love watching you get sweaty in the sundown and beating people with those clubs. So if you wanna beat him up, make it a Struggle!"

Seifer was completely confused by this. By the time Seifer thought it was worth it, Sora and his friends were already heading to the other areas of town.

"He got away..."

* * *

><p>Sora and the others finally reached the train station. However, before they could get to the train, Sora and his friends were surrounded by the white monsters. Sora was confused.<p>

"What kind of Heartless are these? I thought we stopped the Heartless!"

"… So maybe they're something else?" Goofy rhetorically suggested. "I mean c'mon Sora, use yer imagination."

"… I knew that." said Sora, defensively. They proceeded to beat up the monsters, though they would not stop coming. It was at that point that Mickey Mouse, wearing a black cloak, dropped down and killed the rest of the monsters with his own Keyblade.

**Name: King Mickey Mouse**  
><strong>Epicness: 1010**

"Quick guys, the train knows what to do!" said Mickey.

"Um… what?"

"Don't question me, I'm Mickey Mouse!" Mickey ordered before leaving.

"Uh… So who's up for a train ride?" Sora asked sheepishly.

* * *

><p>Sora, Donald, and Goofy boarded the train and rode it all the way into a wormhole. Goofy looked outside and saw nothingness.<p>

"Huh. Must be one of them newfangled space trains. Max rode one once, ya know!"

Donald started quacking.

"Huh? What's wrong, Donald?" asked Sora. The boy looked out the window to find a tower on a floating island. "Whoa!"

The train stopped and everyone got outside. Sora was in awe.

"What is this place?"

"This here is Yen Sid's tower, Sora. Yen Sid is a wizard who lives here, and he used to be the king's master!"

"Oh." Sora pointed to a large, fat, black cat man standing at the door. "So is he the janitor or something?"

"Naw, that's just ol' Pete."

The gang walked up to Pete.

**Name: Pete**  
><strong>Rumble Racing Placement: Dead Last<strong>

"Get off mah proper-tay! I'm gonna make Yen Sid a Heartless and conquer dis world! Then I can take over more worlds fer Maleficent! Then she'll give me a compliment and that'll be the first time anyone's done so! Bwahahahaha!"

Sora shook his head. "Maleficent died." he stated bluntly.

"For reals?"

"For reals."

"You jackin' ol' Pete's chain?"

"I jack you not."

"Awwwww!" Pete moaned.

"She turned into a dragon and I killed her with my Keyblade, true story." After Sora said that, Donald quacked in agreement.

"You did _what_? How dare you! Heartless, destroy him!"

A bunch of Shadow Heartless popped out of the ground and leaped at Sora. With one quick swing from the Kingdom Key, they were all done for. Pete couldn't believe his eyes.

"No fair! This is as bad as that time I got beat up in Agrahbah by that one kid and the other kid I suddenly don't remember! If Captain Justice were here, he'd show you! I'll be back! To the Pete Mobile!" Pete ran off and hopped onto a bicycle and slowly rode away. A turtle was moving faster than Pete.

"Ya need a push there, neighbor?" Goofy asked, prompting Pete to sigh.

"… Yes."

* * *

><p>After assisting Pete's getaway, the trio made their way to the top of Yen Sid's tower. The eponymous wizard was playing a video game on his PSP and looked up to see whom his visitors were.<p>

**Name: Yen Sid**  
><strong>Pastime: Redecoration<strong>

"Not you two again…" Donald and Goofy were ashamed. "And I see you woke up at long last. You look different after ten years."

Sora was confused. "Wait, I was only gone for one year."

"Oh." Yen Sid realized. "Wrong child. So anyway I'm gonna guess that Mickey sent you all here, right?" Sora, Donald, and Goofy nodded. "Of course he did. D*** mouse can't be bothered to do anything himself. Okay listen and listen good. Wait first, what's your name, boy?"

"I'm Sora."

"Okay Sora. If someone with strong willpower turns into a Heartless, they leave behind a white or gray monster called a _Nobody_. Powerful Nobodies look more or less exactly like their original form. Thirteen of these Nobodies are the members of Organization XIII. Treat Nobodies more or less like Heartless. They don't have hearts, so they can't feel emotions. Now go see the fairies in the other room, you're outgrowing your outfit."

"Um… Okay." Sora shrugged. He walked into the next room.

Goofy raised his hand, which Yen Sid noticed. "What is it, knight?"

"So, uh, why are them Heartless still runnin' around?"

"Because go follow Sora into the other room."

* * *

><p>Goofy and Donald entered the wardrobe and found Sora wearing new clothes, which were black and much cooler.<p>

**Names: Flora, Fauna, and Merryweather**  
><strong>Record Time for Bingo: Twelve Minutes exactly, total<strong>

"These are special clothes." Flora said. "You can merge your power with another and be stronger."

"Here's the Star Seeker Keyblade." Fauna said, handing the Keyblade to Sora. "You can only use it in situations where you'd use two Keyblades. … Well technically you can always try that, but oh well."

"I have nothing to say." Merryweather announced.

"Um… Okay. Thanks?" Sora wondered.

"Gawrsh Sora, now you look like a bada-"

"SORA! DONALD! GOOFY! GET IN HERE!" Yen Sid's voice boomed from the other side of the door. They walked through to find that their old Gummi Ship had crashed into Yen Sid's room.

"Yes?" Sora and Goofy asked in unison. Donald did as well, but he did not sound like it.

"Take this and go to other worlds. Now. Unlock the Keyholes."

* * *

><p>In the other room, Maleficent appeared out of nowhere.<p>

"Suddenly Maleficent!" the good fairies announced.

**Name: Maleficent**  
><strong>Age: (Ancient Hag)-years old<strong>

"I'm back, ***ches."

* * *

><p>The Gummi Ship soared through the Lanes Between, the open space between worlds. In the cockpit, the friends were re-familiarizing themselves with the ship.<p>

"Hey, there's only one other world right now." Sora commented. "I recognize a little castle there, but the rest of it... I've never seen it."

"Gawrsh Sora, I think we know that world!"

* * *

><p>Pete was sitting in Maleficent's old castle.<p>

"Aw tartar sauce! Now what am I gonna do?"

"Hello, Pete." Maleficent spoke with deadly precision, a certain cruelty in her emphasis.

"Huh? Oh hey Maleficent, what's up?" Pete went back to moping, but he eventually realized something. "Wait, you're Maleficent! And you're alive! It's a miracle! How can this has happened?"

"Your grammar is atrocious. Now join me, Pete. We shall embark on the real estate adventure of a lifetime! This castle is no longer to my liking."

Pete winked and clicked his tongue while giving Maleficent both pointer fingers. "You got it, toots."

"Never do that again."

"Right."

* * *

><p><em><strong>HOLLOW BASTION<strong>_

Sora and the gang were walking around the city next to the castle, Hollow Bastion.

"Man, I didn't know there was a town next to the castle."

"Me neither, ahyuck!"

Donald quacked in agreement. Suddenly they were jumped by a few Nobodies. Before Sora, Donald, and Goofy could attack them, a ball of light vaporized one of them. The Dusks hissed at the loss of their comrade, but failed to notice Sora, Donald, and Goofy attacking them.

"Sharp as ever, guys!" a girl's voice said. Sora looked up to see a ninja girl on top of a roof.

**Name: Yuffie**  
><strong>Materia Stolen (this year): 498<strong>

"Follow me to Merlin's house!"

"Huh?" Sora was confused. "Oh yeah, Leon and the others! How have they been?"

"What?" Now it was Yuffie's turn to be confused.

"You know, Squall! Except he doesn't like to be called Squall. Then there's Aerith, Cid, and presumably Merlin too, since it's his house." Sora. It dawned on the ninja girl.

"… Oh! Yeah I wasn't going to take you to the alley behind his house and steal your items, not at all! Nope! Let's go!" She ran off nervously.

"Sora, do ya think that maybe-" but Goofy was cut off.

"Come on guys!" Sora was heading off.

"… Never mind."

* * *

><p><strong><strong>Name: Leon<strong>  
><strong>Facepalms per Day: 8 (average)<strong>**

**Name: Aerith**  
><strong>Status: Alive<strong>

**Name: Cid**  
><strong>Favorite Beverage: Tea<strong>

A man in black, Leon, an older man with a toothpick in his mouth, Cid, and a woman in a pink dress, Aerith, were in front of a computer. Yuffie kicked the door open, sending it off its hinges. This got everyone's attention.

"Hey kid, quit knocking down that ****in' door!" Cid yelled.

"Nuts, people are still here. Now I can't steal- I mean hey guys look who I found!" Yuffie jumped to the side to reveal Sora, Donald, and Goofy in the doorway.

Cid joked, "For the last time, we don't want yer cookies! Now, where have you all been?"

Goofy was quick to explain. "Gawrsh, we don't remember! We beat Ansem and then just suddenly woke up in pods! Ahyuck!"

Sora nodded and shrugged. "Yeah that's about right."

"Well nice of you to take time from your nap schedule to come visit us." Leon snarked. "Meanwhile _we've_ been busting our backs trying to fix up the town."

Aerith lightly but firmly tapped Leon on the back of the head and spoke dully. "Leon, be nice." She turned her attention back to Sora and the others. "Why were you asleep?" Sora, Donald, and Goofy all shrugged. At that time, an old wizard with a long beard arrived in a puff of smoke.

**Name: Merlin**  
><strong>Last Shave: 29 years ago<strong>

"Hey Sora, good to see you, lad! Wanna re-learn magic?" Merlin offered.

"Nah I'm good."

Merlin gave Sora a cold, stern stare. Sora was nervous.

"Uh, on second thought, sure. Why not? Heheh…"

"I AM GOING TO THE BAILEY NOW. HINT-HINT." Leon shouted out of nowhere. He left the house and made a show of it, even leaving the door open. Donald's quacks expressed confusion.

"Oh he wants you to follow him." Aerith explained. "But first, you three get these." The girl gave Sora and friends each a card.

_Hollow Bastion Restoration Committee_  
><em>Official Janitor: Sora<em>

_Hollow Bastion Restoration Committee_  
><em>Official Errand Boy: Donald Duck<em>

_Hollow Bastion Restoration Committee_  
><em>Official Pimp: Goofy<em>

"I always figgered I was a pimp." Goofy contemplated out loud while stroking his chin.

"What's with these titles?" Sora asked. "I have to clean stuff now?"

Yuffie explained it to him. "They were out of normal cards."

"SORA, GET OVER HERE ALREADY!" Leon shouted from outside.

* * *

><p>Sora and friends approached Leon.<p>

"So what's the deal?" Leon asked.

"Oh, well besides the Heartless, there are these white monsters called Nobodies." the Keyblade wielder explained. Goofy's eyes widened.

"Oh yeah and that there Organah-zation XIII! We can't forget them!" Goofy said.

"_Indeed, Goofy._" echoed a mysterious, deep voice.

"_I for one thought they'd never find out. If the full moon were out right now, I'd slaughter them for keeping us waiting from making our entrance._" another voice spoke to the first.

"So is this the part where each of them gets one word in, and they make brief allusions to their personalities and stuff?" Leon asked Sora, who responded with a shrug.

"_… Fine if that's how you want to do it, we'll just all come out at once._" the second voice said in response. The four walked over to find six figures in black cloaks watching them from high up.

**Name: Organization XIII**  
><strong>Donations Made to Charity: None<strong>

"… Hey wait, weren't we supposed to send Dusks and stuff to destroy the gates?" a vaguely British-sounding voice asked.

"… Silence, Number Ten." the first voice spoke. Leon started counting and then shared a realization with Sora.

"Sora, I don't think that's Organization XIII. There are only six of them."

"That would be because five of us have died. Two disappeared by other means, but apparently we don't remember one of them to begin with. And another just up and quit earlier today." the first voice explained.

"Wait that adds up to fourteen." said Leon the mathematician.

"Indeed. … This is goodbye for now." The Organization members all disappeared, but one popped up right next to Sora. Donald started quacking at him.

"Dude, I think your little duck needs a rabies shot or something. Nah. Ducks having rabies? As if."

**Name: Xigbar**  
><strong>Goldfishes Drowned: 4<strong>

"You take that back!" Sora yelled.

"Nah I'm good." Xigbar responded. This just made Sora angry. He glared at his new opponent. "Heh. He used to give me that look too. Like I just drowned his goldfish or something."

"Watch out Sora, he's tryin' to confuse ya!" Goofy warned.

"Right!"

Xigbar started taunting Sora. "When you come crawling back, get me a Happy Meal, would ya? I might talk the Superior into sparing you and letting you stick around as my chore monkey. 'Might' being the operative word."

"Excuse me?" Sora asked.

"And it'd better not have pickles on it." After that, Xigbar started laughing as he disappeared in a dark portal.

Sora and his friends were confused, but Goofy put his hand on Sora's shoulder.

"Like I said. Confusion."

"You're right." Sora nodded. "There's only one me!" He held out his card and read it aloud. "_The Hollow Bastion Restoration Committee Official Janitor._"

Then Sora's card started floating. Somehow knowing what to do, the boy pointed his Keyblade at the card and unlocked Hollow Bastion's keyhole. After the light show, his card returned to him.

Leon walked up to the group. "So was that one guy a surfer or something?" Sora grabbed Leon's shoulder.

"Leon, We have to go now. But we'll be back after a while to check up on you guys. Other worlds are calling."

"… 'Kay."

**To be continued.**

* * *

><p>-If you know who Roxas was talking to at the very start (besides Sora), then you get a cookie. If you know the whole series well enough though, it shouldn't be hard.<p>

-Seriously, that Struggle guy has issues.


	3. Moo Goofy Gai Pan

**Chapter 2: Moo Goofy Gai Pan**

A large, pale man had successfully burnt down a Chinese village. To celebrate, he partook in a victory dance. An Eddie Murphy-esque voice noticed.

"What a weirdo."

A Chinese man who seemed somewhat feminine in appearance was hiding in a nearby bamboo grove and talking to the silhouette of a dragon, the originator of the voice.

"A'ight girl, let's get some exposition done!" the dragon shouted.

"Shh! Mushu! What if he hears us?" the girl/man pointed to the evil man. It was as this time that Sora, Donald, and Goofy walked by.

"We're in China now, boys!" Goofy told the others.

Sora looked at Goofy. "How can you tell this is China of all places?"

"I starred in this one short cartoon called, '_How to Know You're in China_'!"

Donald and Sora glanced at each other and shrugged. "Works for me." said the boy.

"Hey!" the dragon and the man noticed their guests.

"Gawrsh Sora, we've been found out!"

"Gaah! Quick Donald, make us invisible!" Sora said. Donald quacked at him. "What do you mean you never learned that spell?"

The dragon smiled. "I recognize you!" It then jumped out from wherever it was standing, revealing itself as a rather small, red dragon. "Long time, no see!"

"Well I'll be! That's Mushu, ahyuck!"

**Name: Mushu**  
><strong>Philosophy: Parfaits are Number 1<strong>

Donald quacked in confusion.

"Glad you asked, duck boy!" Mushu pointed to his human companion. "Go on, tell the nice duck your name."

"My name is Mul- I mean Ping! Ping, it's definitely Ping! I'm not a girl at all."

"We… didn't ask…" Sora was confused.

**Name: Ping**  
><strong>Gender: Definitely Male… right?<strong>

"Mushu is one of my family's guardians." Ping explained. With this explanation, Mushu got an idea.

"Sit tight Ping, I'm gonna get you some help." he whispered. The dragon cleared his throat. "And since I had to take time from my duties to help all y'all fight the Heartless, it's time you guys helped out in return! You're up to your eyeballs in debt!"

"But Mushu, aren't all our eyes are at diff-ernt levels?" asked Goofy. Mushu put his palm to his own face.

"What I mean is, you all gotta help Ping enlist in the army and bring honor to her- his family. Got it?"

"Eh, why not?" Sora said while shrugging. Goofy's eyes widened and he pointed to Ping.

"Heeeeey, yer really a girl, ain't ya?"

"No that's crazy talk. Never imply that again." the dragon ordered. "Now let's get down to business and join the army!"

_**THE LAND OF DRAGONS**_

* * *

><p>Sora, Donald, Goofy, and Ping had taken a walk down to the encampment to be recruited. Mushu had taken to hiding in Ping's armor so that no one would notice him.<p>

"Hey there's a line, I guess that's where we go." Sora said. Goofy scratched his head.

"Sora, I think that there is the lunch line."

"Oh. … Well can't join the army on an empty stomach!" the boy happily got into line. A short man in reddish armor punched Sora out of the way.

"That's my spot, bub!"

**Name: Yao**  
><strong>Anger Level: (to be continued)<strong>

Donald furiously quacked at the short man and jumped on top of him. While the two got into a fight, two men cut in front of them. One was rather thin, wearing yellow armor.

**Name: Ling**  
><strong>Ability: Putting chopsticks up his nose<strong>

The other man was large, bald, and fat. His armor was blue.

**Name: Chien Po**  
><strong>Biggest Regret: Never learning how to swim<strong>

"I sure hope they serve rice today, Ling." Chien Po said.

"I'm… pretty sure they will, buddy. They do that every day. Isn't that right, Yao?" Ling called to his friend, ignoring the fact that he was fighting a duck.

"I'm a bit busy if you couldn't tell, Ling!"

"All of you! Get back in line!" ordered another man, this one wearing a cape.

**Name: Captain Li Shang**  
><strong>Hobby: Funny hats<strong>

A bunch of Chinese Heartless appeared. Shang noticed.

"Men! Stand back and let the new guys deal with it!"

"Sir! … Wait, why?" Chien Po asked his superior. He never received an answer.

"Aw great, some army you have!" Mushu complained from his hiding spot.

Ping seemed nervous. "Mushu, maybe you shouldn't be talking and giving away your-"

"SILENCE, NONBELIEVER!" Mushu roared. It fell upon Sora, Donald, Goofy, and Ping to handle the threat of the Heartless now, and they did just that. Shang walked up to the four of them.

"For that show of bravery, the four of you get to be in my troop. But before that, you have to play three minor mini-games, two of them being the exact same thing. They all involve slaughtering those weird monsters."

Sora and friends, minus Ping, slouched in annoyance.

* * *

><p>After killing enough Heartless, they were allowed to head up the mountain trail.<p>

"Ya know guys," Ling started, "this trail reminds me of the kind of girl I wouldn't mind fighting for."

"Cool story bro." Yao said, walking past and almost pushing Ling off the edge of the cliff.

"Watch it!" his friend ordered. Chien Po stopped and helped Ling keep his balance and continue. Donald quacked to Ping.

"No I'm afraid we're not almost there. It's a tall mountain."

* * *

><p>After an hour or two of hiking, the troop finally reached the top of the mountain to find a village.<p>

"This village is kinda small." Sora noted. He then saw something in the cave nearby. "Heartless! Must kill!" The boy ran off to kill the Heartless. Mushu reappeared on Ping's shoulder.

"Now's your chance, girl! Go follow him!"

"Right!" Ping ran after Sora and the two of them killed Heartless together.

* * *

><p>"That was easy." Sora told Ping as they walked out of the cave after the fact.<p>

"Relatively."

"Oh quit being modest, Mul- Ping!" Mushu told the soldier. Goofy and Donald ran up to the two of them.

"Guys! The Heartless burnt down the village while we stood here and did plumb nothin'!"

"Oh no!" Ping was shocked. He then noticed Shang lying down next to a burnt house, and he was heavily wounded.

"Ow…"

"Captain!" Ping ran up to Shang to see if he was alive. "What happened?"

"Huns… turned into monsters… burnt the village… fled to the mountain…"

"Don't die, sir!"

"… What? I'm not… dying… This is the enemy's blood… I'm just out of breath from all my fighting…"

"… Oh." Ping realized. "I… I guess I'll go to the mountain now. Come on, guys." Ping motioned for Sora, Donald, and Goofy to follow him.

* * *

><p>At the top of the mountain, the evil Hun man was in front of a bunch of Rapid Thruster Heartless.<p>

**Name: Shan Yu**  
><strong>Requirements: Having only one man deliver messages<strong>

"I can't believe my men were replaced with these stupid things… Oh well. ATTACK!" Shan Yu pointed his sword at the four people on the mountain.

"Uh-oh." Sora noticed the swarm of Heartless headed for all of them. The party readied their weapons and prepared for the fight of their collective lives. A curveball was thrown though, as these Heartless were easy to kill. "Well… that was anticlimactic."

"Guys, I gotta rocket! Badabing, badaboom, ah?" Yao announced. Sora was confused beyond measure.

Ping, however, took the rocket away from his fellow soldier, used Mushu's fire, and launched the rocket at the mountainside nearby. It caused an avalanche that conveniently buried only Shan Yu and the Heartless.

Shang walked up to the scene. "Good job, Ping. I trust you now."

Mushu popped out from under the snow like a daisy. "Sheesh, Mulan! Girl, what's with your aim? If that boy Shang finds out you're a girl-" the little dragon then noticed that he said that all in front of Shang. "… Well… I just screwed the pooch, didn't I?"

"Say what?" Goofy asked, having heard only the last part.

"You're a girl?" Shang and Sora asked incredulously. Donald's quacks alluded to a similar reaction.

"No. … Yes…" Ping, actually Mulan, admitted.

"My sexism overrides my sense of honor and I no longer trust you. Good day, sir. … Ma'am. Whichever you are." Shang stood up. "All right, remaining soldiers. Let's go brag about this to the Emperor."

"But Shang-" Sora started. Shang cut him off.

"No buts. Now let's go. Unless… You guys knew about this, didn't you?"

"… Yeah, purty much." Goofy told him.

"Goofy, no! Now we can't brag to the Emperor!" Sora whined.

"All three of you are discharged along with Mulan here, then. Good day." Shang and the other soldiers left.

"But I honestly didn't know!" Sora slouched over, but then stood straight up an instant later. "Well, that's life!"

"Aw man… How could I let that happen? I shoulda opened a can of fireball on his ungrateful-" Mushu was interrupted.

"He didn't kill me for my crimes. That was how he repaid me." Mulan told her guardian. "I guess there's no point in pretending, now."

She removed her father's armor and let her hair down.

**Name: Fa Mulan**  
><strong>Gender: Female (definitely)<strong>

"I apologize for getting all of you in trouble as well."

"Eh it's cool. The army didn't suit us anyway." Sora reassured his friend. Donald quacked in objection. "Really, Donald? I thought you were joking when you said you were having fun. Oh well, we wouldn't have been able to stay for long anyway."

Mulan looked to her feet. "I guess I should return home now."

"Ooh, just thinkin' about your daddy's giving me the shivers. As for me, your ancestors are gonna have my head on a platter for this!" said Mushu.

"Well golly, if ya just take some time to explain, I'm sure that-" however Goofy's suggestion was cut short by the shocking site everyone saw. Heartless and Shan Yu popping out of the snow like daisies. "Gawrsh."

Shan Yu led the Heartless down the slope and started marching with them to the imperial city.

"… We should stop them…" Sora said. " … 'n stuff." Donald, Goofy, Mulan, and Mushu nodded in agreement and spoke in unison.

"Yeah."

Mushu jumped in the air. "All right, time to kick some Hun-y buns!"

Mulan nodded. "Yes, we must warn Shang."

Sora, Donald, Goofy, and Mulan then started hurrying down the mountain, Mushu was riding on Mulan's shoulder.

* * *

><p>That evening, the party had finally reached the imperial city and found Shang. Mulan spoke first.<p>

"Shang, Shan Yu and his monsters are still alive!"

"I doubt it." Shang disregarded what Mulan had to say. "Now go away so we can brag to the Emperor in peace. Why should I even believe you, liar?"

Sora slapped his own face. "Captain, why would she lie about something like this? This is a bit more serious than the whole cross-dressing thing, isn't it?"

Goofy grabbed Sora's shoulder. "Sora, ya don't have to call him by his rank anymore, now that we're discharged."

"It just feels right." Sora explained while shrugging. Shang sighed.

"Look, you all fought admirably on the mountain. But I can't trust any of you. Except maybe the duck. He seems reliable."

Donald quacked to him about Shan Yu.

"Wait, so you believe their lies? I change my mind about you." Upon hearing this, Donald threw his staff on the ground and crossed his arms in anger. Then a bunch of Heartless appeared.

"Oh…" Shang realized that Mulan was right. "Men, we must defeat these evil soldiers!" Shang and the three soldiers readied their weapons, but Sora stopped them.

"No, someone has to protect the Emperor! We'll take care of these guys!"

Yao, Ling, and Chien Po seemed skeptical, but Shang turned his head. "You heard him, go!" Then the four ran to the palace, leaving the other four heroes to battle the Nightwalker Heartless.

* * *

><p>Shan Yu held his sword to the throat of the Emperor of China.<p>

**Name: Emperor**  
><strong>Known Family: Three daughters<strong>

"Kneel before me." Shan Yu ordered. The Emperor remained silent. "So you resist?"

"If I am to die, then so be it." were the Emperor's only words.

Shang ran up to Shan Yu and stabbed him in the arm that was holding the sword.

"AAAAHH!"

As Shan Yu was distracted by his pain and trying to kill Shang, the other three soldiers grabbed the Emperor and took him to the safety of the palace, followed by Shang. All of this, ignoring the fact that one cannot touch the Emperor under any circumstances. Ling and Chien Po closed the door.

"Grrr!" Shan Yu ran to the door and started punching and kicking it. "Let me in! Now!"

"How about you deal with _us_ instead?" Sora barked. Shan Yu turned to face his four opponents and the dragon.

"You think you can overpower me? A child, two animals, and a mere woman? HA!"

Sora was confused. "Wait. In history, Huns weren't quite as sexist. … Imposter!"

"… Oops." Shan Yu seemed embarrassed. "You know my secret, I was kicked out! Now die!"

"Attack!" Sora ordered. The four of them ran to Shan Yu and started hitting him, but he kept blocking with his sword.

"Mushu!" Mulan yelled. The dragon appeared and spit some fireballs at Shan Yu.

"I'm on fiah!"

"Gaaah!" Shan Yu was hurt and he lowered his sword. Mulan and Sora attacked him.

"For China!"

"This is it!"

"Ow! Hrrrrrr!" Shan Yu went wild with his sword, nearly turning Sora into a shish kebob.

"Goofy, I have an idea! Let's use my new power!"

"All righty."

"_GIVE ME STRENGTH!_" Goofy disappeared and Sora's clothes turned red.

**Sora - Valor Form**

"Let's finish this, ahyuck!" Sora cried. He then noticed that he laughed just like Goofy. "Wait… What did I just… Gawrsh, this whole Drive thing is confusing." Shan Yu smacked Sora with the broad side of his sword, but left himself open to one of Donald's spells, one of Mushu's fireballs, and an attack from Mulan.

"Fools! The great Shan Yu will not be defeated today!" He then got a Kingdom Key and Star Seeker to the face, knocking him out.

"I think yer wrong about that." Sora said. Then he reverted to normal and Goofy reappeared, confused.

"Gawrsh, where was I just now?" Goofy wondered. Sora completely ignored him and asked the others a question.

"What do we do with him now? I'd say we put him on a slow boat to China, but we're already there."

"See? I told you that tellin' you that we're in China would come in handy! Ahyuck!"

* * *

><p>After using his janitorial prowess to clean up Shanyu- which consists of tying up his unconscious body and putting it in a nearby box- the gates reopened. The Emperor walked up to Mulan, Sora, Donald, and Goofy.<p>

"Well… You ran away from home, stole from and dishonored your family, lied to your commanding officer, shamed the army-"

"We get it." Sora told him.

"-and made friends with those who would dishonorably interrupt me." Mulan and friends lowered their heads in shame. "… But hey, whatever it takes to save China, am I right?" Everyone was surprised by this. "Here, in order for everyone to know of your accomplishment, you must take Shan Yu's sword." The Emperor snapped his fingers, and Shang gave the sword to Mulan. She bowed.

"Thank you, Your Excellency."

Shang turned to Sora, Donald, and Goofy, as it was his turn to show gratitude. "Thanks to all of you for assisting Mulan.

"Aw shucks." Goofy started blushing.

"We had fun." Sora told his former officer. "Now I can say that I'm a war veteran! Come on guy- Whoa!" His Keyblade started reacting to Shan Yu's sword. "Almost forgot, this is why we came here in the first place!"

Like with his Restoration Committee Card before, Sora used his Keyblade and Shan Yu's sword to unlock the keyhole for the Land of Dragons.

"Now I can be a guardian again!" Mushu cheered. This got the guys' attention.

"Gawrsh Mushu, I thought you already were a guardian." Mushu then realized that his secret was out. He'd gotten Sora and friends to do all this for nothing.

"… Whoops."

**To be continued.**

* * *

><p>-Thanks to everyone who's enjoying this story. Knowing that I've made people laugh has made me enjoy this more, therefore I've gotten this one done faster than the previous chapter. That's not to say the story hinges on reviews (it really doesn't), but I do care what people have to say and like to know that people are enjoying it.<p>

-If you do happen to review though, don't be afraid to point out problems. I'm not made of glass, I can take constructive criticism. If it can enhance your reading experience and my story, then tell me please.

-I'm not a Chinese history buff, so I don't know if the thing with Huns and sexism is accurate or not, it's based off a thing on TV Tropes and humor.


	4. Belle's Enchanted Boxing Day

**Chapter 3: Belle's Enchanted Boxing Day**

Sora, Donald, and Goofy found themselves in a giant castle, however all the lights were off and no one seemed to be at home.

"Well we're in France now, boys!" Goofy told Sora and Donald. They were not listening. A loud roar brought everyone to attention.

"Huh?" Sora was confused. "Hey that roar sounds kind of familiar…"

"Gawrsh Sora, sounds like a regular ol' roar to me."

"I, THE BEAST, AM IN A VERY BAD MOOD TONIGHT!" the source of the roar shouted to an unknown third party from in another room.

"Oh I get it now." Goofy was satisfied that he knew where the roar came from. The trio then saw a Heartless sneak into one of the rooms. Donald quacked and started chasing it, followed by Sora and Goofy.

_**BEAST'S CASTLE**_

As soon as the three friends walked into the room that the Heartless went into, even more started appearing.

"Uh-oh!" Sora summoned his Keyblade. "Let's go!"

The Heartless were no match for Sora's Keyblade, Donald's magic, and Goofy's shield. However, they simply would not stop appearing. It was not until Beast walked in and slaughtered a few that they would stop.

**Name: Beast**  
><strong>Real Name: (Unknown)<strong>

He walked up to the glass-encased rose and walked out.

"Um… Nice to see you too?" Goofy asked. "Beast's not bein' a good host."

"Maybe he has that Christmastime depression." Sora offered. "I mean it's Boxing Day now, but it probably doesn't just go away over night." Donald started quacking and Sora nodded his head. "Good idea, Donald. Let's go ask Belle!"

* * *

><p>After getting lost in the castle a few times, Sora, Donald, and Goofy barged into Belle's room without knocking.<p>

"Hey Belle, what's up?" questioned Sora. Belle didn't notice them, as she was busy reading a book.

**Name: Belle**  
><strong>Books Read (this year): 1, 226<strong>

"Belle? Hello? Earth to Belle!"

"Gawrsh Sora, she's not bein' a good host, either."

Donald slapped the book out of Belle's hands, and she finally noticed who was there.

"Sora! Donald! Goofy! I haven't seen you in ages! What brings you to this castle?"

"We have to unlock a Keyhole. Say, why's Beast being a rude host?"

"I'm not sure, he's been acting crazy ever since this one guy showed up. The servants are locked up in the dungeon, they may be able to explain."

Sora didn't know where that was. "Um… Where is that?"

"Oh that's across the entire castle from here."

"Of course it is…" Sora slouched over.

* * *

><p>In the undercroft, the carvings on the doors came to life, as they were actually giant, conjoint twin Heartless.<p>

"Uh-oh!" The friends all said at once.

"EPIC KNUCKLE BUMP!" the Thresholder said as its two halves bumped knuckles. They started swinging their arms around, but Sora and friends stayed out of reach.

"Haha! It can't get us from here!"

"But Sora, we can't get it, either."

"… You just have to ruin everything for me, don't you Goofy?"

Eventually the Thresholder sent out Gargoyle Heartless, causing Sora to slap his forehead. Though this did give him an idea.

"Okay guys I have a plan. Donald, Goofy, you guys beat the minions while I try to unlock the big guy. Okay? Okay. Go!"

As Donald and Goofy stood there, having not heard Sora speaking so fast, Sora took quite a few hits from the Thresholder's fists, which sent him flying back to his friends.

"Gawrsh Sora, you okay?

"_I see… dead people…_" said Sora, a bit dizzy and not all there. He shook his head real fast. "Ow… Why didn't you guys do anything?" Donald started quacking and just decided to hit Thresholder with a lightning spell. It zapped the Possessor Heartless out of the boss, allowing Sora and Goofy to destroy it.

"Gaaaaa! Just wait until you face my brother!" were the Possessor's last words. Sora shrugged and unlocked the door, heading into the dungeon.

* * *

><p>Donald started quacking, as the servants were nowhere to be found. In the dungeon, there was only a candelabra, a clock, a teapot, and a teacup.<p>

"I dunno Donald, I guess the servants already left."

"Ohoho! Zis is false! As ze only pairson in France with a, how you say, French accent, let me say zat we are still here!"

"Lumiere, please! Compose yourself!"

Sora shook his head. "What, are you guys invisible or something?" Then the candelabra, clock, teapot, and teacup all came to life!

**Name: Lumiere**  
><strong>Harassment Suits: 6<strong>

**Name: Cogsworth**  
><strong>Greatest Dream: Time Travel<strong>

**Name: Mrs. Potts**  
><strong>Tea of Choice: Earl Grey<strong>

**Name: Chip**  
><strong>Subjects to Avoid Discussing: His chipped head<strong>

"Mama look, there's people now!" Chip said. Sora's eyes widened.

"Whoa, that little cup sounds kinda like me, when I was a kid."

Donald picked Cogsworth up and started shaking him.

"Aaaah! Duck, please! Compose yourself!"

"Donald, put him down." Sora told him. "So the Beast's servants are animate inanimate objects?"

"More or less." Mrs. Potts told the boy. "It's all because of a curse. The same curse that made the Beast, well, a beast."

"So we gotta find the person who did this to Beast and you guys?" asked Sora. The servants all shook their heads.

"No Ah'm afraid ze enchantress is long gone by now." Lumiere lamented. "Now all the Beast can do iz keep the rose he was given and find true love before ze last pet-al falls. Otherwise it's, how you say, game over! Oho!"

"If you can get past that candle's ridiculous overdone accent, the Beast must love and be loved in return. True love at that! If only the Prince wasn't so shallow and he composed himself…" it was Cogsworth's turn to lament.

"Okay, that doesn't seem so bad." Sora said. "He ripped his way through dimensions and ended up in Hollow Bastion through hard work and willpower alone just so he could find Belle again!"

"Yeah, they can't be havin' trouble likin' each other!" Goofy stated. "I'm sure it'll be hunky dory."

"Zat is until, 'ow you say, Xaldin showed up! Zis jerk in a black cloak came and started filling ze mastair's head with crazy ideas! He even told him to lock us up!"

Goofy was dumbfounded. "Well Heavens t' Betsy, that sounds like one o' them Organization XIII guys!"

Sora nodded. "Well I think I know what we need to do, now."

* * *

><p>Beast was fawning over his rose, when sure enough, a black cloaked figure showed up.<p>

**Name: Xaldin**  
><strong>Worst Fear: The Kool-Aid Man<strong>

"Beast…" Xaldin spoke with a vaguely British accent. "You know that Belle doesn't really love you. She wants to kill you and take over the castle. It's obvious she's loved Gaston this whole time, she's just waiting to deal with you, first. I mean come on, you can't compare to him. No one does things like Gaston."

"But… that's not true." Beast said. "Belle would never-"

"Lies. All lies."

Sora and friends walked in with Cogsworth. Xaldin noticed and snapped his fingers. Beast was put in a trance.

"Tata." said the Nobody before disappearing. The Beast roared.

"Master, please! Compose yourself!" Beast roared again. "Master, please! Compose yourself!" Beast roared once more. "Master, please! Compo-" Cogsworth was interrupted when Beast knocked him into a pile of torn paintings.

"Oh man…" Sora said. "We're in a pickle! Hmm… What would my dad do in this situation? … Aha! Beast if you attack us, you might be a redneck!" Beast smacked Sora into another pile of broken stuff, which might've indicated that he was a redneck.

"Sora fer the last time, yer dad ain't Jeff Foxworthy!" Goofy told him.

"Oh yeah. It's been a while since I've seen my dad." At that time, Donald started waving his staff around, which got Beast's attention. While Beast was distracted, Goofy conked him on the back of the head with his shield. The Beast snapped out of his trance.

"Oww… Ugh, what happened?"

Cogsworth hopped out of the pile of junk and waddled over to the Beast, as did Sora. "Well Master, you wouldn't compose yourself. Then you threw us all in the dungeon!"

"Huh. That's strange. Cogsworth, I'm sorry."

"It's all right."

"And Belle… I need to apologize to her… n' stuff."

"Beast, who was that guy that was with you?" asked Sora. "Was it Xaldin?"

"Yes… How I loathe him… Okay, time to talk to Belle."

"BEAST, HELP! I'M IN THE BALL ROOM!" Belle shouted.

"Wow, her voice really carries." Sora said in wonder.

"We must hurry!" said the Beast, instantly taking off.

* * *

><p>In the ballroom, a spherical, chained Heartless was floating around. Beast was furious.<p>

"What have you done with Belle?" ordered the Beast. He did not get a response though, as the Heartless sunk into the floor and brought the whole room to life. The chandelier smashed down and the pillars started flailing around.

"This is insane!" Sora said. "What kind of Heartless is this?"

Beast ignored him and started gnawing on whichever pillar the Heartless was currently inhabiting. After enough attacks, the Heartless floated out of the pillar. Sora went after it and pinned it to the floor. Beast put his hand on Sora's shoulder, and the boy nodded.

"Let's go!" Sora called.

"Get out!" ordered the Beast.

The two roared at once, somehow damaging the Heartless. It then floated up and started taunting them.

"Where's your Boxing Day spirit, Beast?" The Heartless unchained itself to reveal its true form as some kind of black monster with giant red thorns for hair.

"Look out!" Goofy yelled. The Dark Thorn charged for Beast and Sora, but the two jumped out of the way. As Sora jumped, he grabbed the low-hanging chandelier.

"Hmm…" Sora started swinging his legs and soon the whole chandelier was shaking. "Aha!" He started swinging the chandelier around and went in the same direction that Beast was going as he was chasing the Heartless. "Beast, get down!"

Beast started getting down with his bad self and got caught up in the chandelier along with the Dark Thorn. Sora and Beast wailed on it a few times until Beast and Sora jumped off, allowing the runaway chandelier to smash Dark Thorn into a wall, destroying it.

"Gawrsh… That looked like fun!"

"So. It was beauty that killed the beast." Sora summarized. "Well… actually, no. Xaldin would've wanted that. But it was the chandelier that killed the Heartless in the end. … Yeah this joke died. Can I start over?"

"That can be arranged." Xaldin's voice echoed. The party turned around to see him standing there. "Would you like another Dark Thorn? I'm sure I can conjure up a much stronger one. Or perhaps two?"

"Xaldin! You will never be our guest!" Beast roared.

"Not that I would want to anyway. Beast, one day I will have your hear-" but Xaldin was interrupted.

"Oh yeah!" The Kool-Aid Man crashed through the wall, wearing a black coat of his own.

"No! My nemesis! Rrr… We shall meet again, boy. You too, Beast. The next Boxing Day won't have a happy ending!" Xaldin disappeared in a Dark Corridor, but the Kool-Aid Man quickly jumped in after him. "NOOOOO!"

"Well… that happened." Sora said. "Beast, why did-" Sora turned to face Beast, but he was in an embrace with Belle, relieved that she was all right. "Oh. Uh, c'mon guys, let's leave them alone."

Donald and Goofy nodded. Suddenly Sora's Keyblade started resonating with the Beast's rose, despite the fact that it was far away.

"Oh yeah, I keep forgetting about this part."

Using the Beast's rose in conjunction with the Keyblade, Sora unlocked the world's Keyhole.

"What did you do?" Belle wondered.

"Oh well Sora here just opened the gate is all."

Sora nodded. "I hope you guys can sort out your stuff before time's up. Meanwhile, we have to stop more Nobodies and Heartless."

Sora and friends waved goodbye, the others waved back, and they all parted ways.

**To be continued.**

* * *

><p>-There are three references to Sora's (English) voice actor in this chapter.<p>

-Xaldin's fear is based off of a funny comic on DeviantART regarding Kingdom Hearts 358 Days Over 2, but with some spoilers.


	5. The Labor of Valor

**Chapter 4: The Labor of Valor**

"Hrrra!" a strong man grunted, as he tossed a rock monster from the vicinity of the Olympus Coliseum.

_**OLYMPUS COLISEUM**_

Elsewhere, Sora, Donald, and Goofy made their appearance. They were in a fairly dark cave where the air was cold and the smell of death was omnipresent.

"Before you say anything Goofy, yes I know we're in Greece."

"I was gonna say 'The Underworld', but okay."

A woman's voice called, but with hints of sarcasm in her tone. "Hey. Someone save me."

Sora and friends looked over to find a woman being attacked by Heartless. The Keyblade's wielder made quick work of them.

"Thanks."

**Name: Meg(ara)**  
><strong>Deadpan Rank: 910**

Sora and Donald helped Meg stand up. "You three don't look like you belong down here. … To Hades with that, you don't even look like you're from Greece to begin with."

"No, we're just visiting. We came to see Hercules. And unlock the Keyhole." Sora explained. "Do you know where Hercules is?"

Meg crossed her arms. "Hmmph. Good luck getting any closer to him than the audience. He's been fighting in the coliseum nonstop. Hades won't stop sending monsters after him."

"Gawrsh, I thought he gave up when we stopped him last time! I guess not…"

"He's a god, you know. Sheesh." Meg said while rolling her eyes. "That means he doesn't die."

"Well we didn't fight him, we just-" but Sora was cut off.

"Whatever. So anyway I went down here to try to stop him, but it didn't work and these monsters attacked me."

Sora then had an idea. "What if we go for you? If nothing else, we can beat him up!"

"You'd do that for Wonderboy?"

Donald quacked to Meg, but Goofy leaned down to whisper in his nonexistent ear. "No not heroes, we're junior heroes." Donald slapped Goofy on the back of the head. "Yowch!"

"All right you three, good luck." the woman told her new acquaintances as she headed out to the coliseum.

* * *

><p>Sora, Donald, and Goofy trekked through the ominous, roomy, dimly-lit caverns of the Cave of the Dead. Along the way, a member of Organization XIII passed them, nearly pushing Sora over.<p>

"Run, run away! RTC! RTC!" the Nobody was panicking. A portal opened up, much to the Nobody's relief. Sora and friends were alone again.

"That was weird." commented Sora. "What do you think that was about?" However all he got were shrugs, so they decided to forget about that and go on with their quest.

* * *

><p>The man himself, Hades, was busy sitting on his throne. He was a bluish man with blue fire for hair and his clothing consisted of a black robe. Pete was there, blabbing to Hades, but it was clear that the Lord of the Dead had little to no interest. His red and blue imp henchmen, Pain and Panic respectively, were giving Hades a foot rub.<p>

**Name: Hades**  
><strong>Deadpan Rank: 1010**

**Name: Pain**  
><strong>Days Since Last Injury: 0.5<strong>

**Name: Panic**  
><strong>Days Since Last Meltdown: 0.5<strong>

"C'mon Hades my man, ya gotta send something even more awesome against Hercules den you already have been, see?"

Hades rolled his eyes and put his fingers to his forehead, sighing to himself.

"Listen, uh, Paul, was it? Just what do you think I'm doin' here? You think I'm just sittin' here on my chair and sendin' daisies out there to fight Blunder Boy just so I can ogle at his muscles? Of course I'm trying to get my toughest monsters after him!"

"HEY HADES, WHY NOT SEND CHERNABOG?" Pain asked. Panic nodded quickly and repeatedly.

"Yeah, sounds good, yeah!"

"No good," Hades dashed their hopes, "he doesn't work for me. Sheesh at this rate, I'm gonna need to resort to sending _dead guys_ after him!" In that moment, Hades gained a wide grin. "Come to think of it… that just might be what it takes to take down Jerkules for good! Aw, just gotta love this ol' noggin sometimes."

* * *

><p>After some remodeling, there was a new opening in the floor of Hades's room. A green whirlpool was in the center, giving an eerie glow, causing Pete, Pain, and Panic to shiver in fear. Hades chuckled.<p>

"This time I'm sending in the mother of all bad***es. Now let's see…" Hades pulled out some binoculars and scanned the void until he spotted a suitable soul. "Ah! He'll do. Pain! Panic!"

"Yessir!" the two demons spoke at once. They ran over and Pain grabbed a fireball.

"Hot! Hot! Too hot!" Pain was hurting. "You take it!" He threw it to Panic, and it was his turn to burn.

"Waaa! Hot!" Panic threw it back to pain.

"Whooooa Mama!" Pain tossed the fireball back to Panic. Hades slapped his own face.

"Gya! Still hot!"

"Okay no more Hot Potato, guys, c'mon! Got a dead warrior to summon over here!" commanded Hades.

Pain and Panic were both holding the fire at this point. They looked at each other and nodded, throwing the ball to Hades. The Lord of the Dead caught the fireball, mixed it with one of his own, and threw it in the pit. A man in red clothes was reborn. He was missing an eye, and one of his arms appeared to be in a sling. Despite this, he still had a giant sword.

"Okay here's the deal, I'm not gonna play around anymore." Hades began his offer. "You fight Hercules in the coliseum to the death. If you win, I let you go. No fine print, no special clause, nothin'. You can run around and get that eye patch you've been lookin' for. You just have to beat Wonder Boy. How about it?"

The man scowled. "No. This is _my_ story."

**Name: Auron**  
><strong>Spoiler Alert: He's dead (Oh, too late…)<strong>

Hades laughed heartily. "Oh you, sir, are quite a comedian. Remind me to write that one down." He sighed and calmed down. "Seriously though, do it."

"No." Auron's answer remained unchanged.

"How dare you!" Hades turned red and started trying to attack Auron, but a simple blade block kept him at bay. Sora, Donald, and Goofy walked in. Sora looked around until he saw Hades.

"Oh. Hey Hades, could you please stop sending monsters after Hercules?"

Hades could not hear Sora's inquiry, as he was still busy struggling against Auron.

"Hello? Earth to Hades?"

"Sora, ya gotta use yer outside voice."

Hades threw a fireball at Goofy, but fortunately the knight used his shield at the proper time. Auron exploited Hades's distraction and hit him once, but with minimal effect.

"You bozos again? Sheesh do I gotta get a restraining order?" Hades set both his arms on fire and started running after Sora and friends. They all got out of the way and Sora found himself next to Auron.

"It won't work." Auron told the boy. "Nothing works on him."

"I have been feeling a bit weaker than usual…" Sora said. "How about you, Donald?" The duck quacked, and Sora seemed to take it as a sign of agreement. "Donald too, and I figure Goofy as well." Goofy nodded. "But why?"

Hades gave an evil grin. "Oh well you see, you're in the Underworld. We play by _my_ rules down here. Now… would you like to be medium rare or well done?"

"… Ruuuuuun!" Goofy yelled. Sora, his friends, and Auron all dashed out the door, Auron slashing at Hades as he passed him, in an attempt to slow the god down.

* * *

><p>The four ran along the Valley of the Dead and were forced to beat Heartless summoned by Hades, but the beasts were eventually downed. After not too long, they all made it out of the Cave of the Dead and back into just the plain old Underworld. Sora came to a realization.<p>

"… Shoot! I forgot to talk to Hades!"

Auron glanced back to the entrance of the cave. "I doubt he'd have listened." He looked down to see the three friends playing a card game of sorts. "Who are you guys, anyway? You don't seem like the kind who'd be down here on a regular basis."

Sora turned to look over his shoulder, as he was facing away from Auron. "Me? I'm Sora."

Donald quacked his name.

"And I'm Goofy, ahyuck! I'm yer biggest fan!"

"I don't have fans." Auron stated bluntly.

Goofy was shocked. "But Auron, yer the most popular character from Final-"

"How do you know my name?" the man was confused. Goofy tried to explain it, but three loud, monstrous barks echoed through the room. The friends stood up from their card game to notice a monster running at them.

"Aw not again!" Sora moaned.

**Name: Cerberus**  
><strong>Mailmen Slaughtered: 19<strong>

"You know the Cerberus?" Auron asked.

"Oh Sora here done beat it last time we were here. But I'm sure you do things twice as awesome before breakfast, Mr. Auron sir!" Goofy said.

"Goofy! Quit it! You can fan boy over him later!"

Donald quacked at the others. Sora rubbed his chin.

"Good idea Donald, let's hurry. He can't fit through the doorway that leads into the coliseum. Right, Auron?" Sora turned around to notice that his new ally was doing battle with Hades's demon dog. "Ah."

Sora ran ahead to help Auron.

"No fair Sora, I wanna help Mr. Auron too!"

"_(I can't let him know that I'm secretly an Auron fan boy too.)_ Uh sorry Goofy, but someone needs to look after Donald. Yeah, that's it."

"Aw shucks Sora, he's a grown duck, he can take care a' himself!" Donald nodded. Sora smacked his head.

"Fine. Give me strength!" Sora tried to turn to Valor Form, but it didn't work. "Oh yeah that doesn't work in the Underworld. Uh-"

Auron walked up to Sora. "Hey, I took care of it myself."

Sora and Goofy moaned that they didn't have a chance to help their hero.

* * *

><p>"C'mon Wonderboy, what's the harm in calling in sick just one day?" Meg was pleading with Hercules in the lobby of the coliseum. But the man just shook his head.<p>

**Name: Hercules**  
><strong>Request: That Billy Mays be the one to advertise his merchandise<strong>

"I can't do that, Meg. Those people came all the way here to see me. If I left, it'd be for nothing."

"I'm sure they'd understand. C'mooon, live a little."

"I'm good." Hercules lied. "Now if you'll excuse me, Ice Titan and Sephiroth need me to remind them who's boss. Simultaneously." Hercules got up and slowly walked to the arena, almost as if he wanted to take as long as possible before having to fight again. Meg was disappointed.

* * *

><p>"Hey PJ-" Hades started.<p>

Pete raised his finger. "Actually I'm not PJ, dat's my boy-"

"-did I ever tell you about the Underdrome? Now _that_… was a coliseum. That playpen up there in Olympus is amateur hour next to this thing! Herc wouldn't last ten rounds in there!"

Pete was confuse. "Well why don't ya put him in there?"

Hades sighed and shook his head. "Great idea." Hades was completely deadpan. "And here I was, just wondering why nothing was working. A miracle you came along when you did."

Pete took the sarcasm as truth until he nearly got fried by a fireball.

"Don't you think there's a _reason_ I haven't tried that yet? Zeus locked up the place! Sheesh ever since he lost that bet on whether or not Zack could beat that Terra kid. … I liked Terra. Nice name, a bit earthy but hey."

"Well da Keyblade can open it back up fer ya! Ya just gots to trick Sora somehow!" Pete nodded and crossed his arms, thinking he had come up wit Hades's plan for him, only it was Hades who knew how he could do this plan.

"I'm gonna need my little Nutmeg for this."

* * *

><p>Sora and Donald stepped out of the Underworld and found themselves before the entrance to the Olympus Coliseum. However, Auron was no longer with them and neither was Goofy. The reason for Goofy's absence was the fact that Sora had entered Valor Form. Donald quacked to his friend, regarding the situation.<p>

"Well Donald, since I couldn't Drive when I needed it to, I'm doin' it now to make up for lost time, ahyuck."

Donald quacked again.

"Gawrsh Donald, I don't know where Auron went."

Hercules walked out and saw his friends from a year ago.

"Sora, Donald!" Sora and Hercules shook hands, which actually hurt a bit on Sora's end, since Hercules was a bit tired to have better control over his strength, but the boy didn't complain. The same thing happened when Donald shook hands next. "Where's Goofy?"

Donald explained the situation to Hercules, who seemed to accept it at immediately. The pals all caught up with each other and then Herc suggested that they pay a visit to Philoctetes, the satyr who trained heroes.

* * *

><p>"Herc!" Phil shouted. "Ged in 'ere!"<p>

**Name: Phil(octetes)**  
><strong>Greatest Failure: The defeat of Achilles<strong>

Instead of Hercules, Sora and Donald arrived.

"Whoa, all three o' ya came back, eh? How you guys been?"

Sora leaned down to Donald and whispered to him. "Does he know Goofy's with us or is he still bad at counting?" Donald shrugged.

"So yous guys are still junior heroes, I see. Wanna smash some urns?"

Sora and Donald shrugged and then the boy answered. "I don't see why not."

* * *

><p>After smashing the urns, Sora and Goofy split into two beings once more, only there was a problem.<p>

"Gawrsh… Hey how come I'm right over there when I'm right here?" Sora queried while using Goofy's accent. "Wait… why do ah sound like Sora all of a sudden?"

"Weird." Goofy noted, without his accent. "I kind of have a vice versa problem. … Oh no."

"What is it?"

Donald explained to the alleged Sora that he and Goofy had traded bodies as a result of their Drive. Both of them freaked out.

(For the sake of simplicity, Sora and Goofy will be referred to by their bodies, meaning that for a while, Sora will still be noted as doing and saying things, even though it's really Goofy in there, and vice versa.)

"Well Sora," Sora paradoxically stated, "the way I figger, we can just Drive again and pop out all normal like once the fusion ends again! All we gotta do is wait for that there Drive Meter to recharge!"

"Good idea, Goofy… I mean Sora, I mean me. I mean… Help me out here?"

As the friends were sorting this out, Phil was setting up more urns and Hercules was stretching. Everyone's favorite Lord of the Dead arrived on the scene to give the son of Zeus a hard time.

"Well if it isn't the legend himself. And how's our little Wonderboy this fine afternoon?" Hades mocked. Goofy marched over to Hades.

"Hades, I've been meaning to ask you something. Could you please-" Goofy was interrupted by Hades backhanding Goofy in the face, knocking him down.

"What do you want, Hades? I'm not in the mood."

"All right Gutter Boy, I'll tell you what. Meg, bless her heart, got herself _trapped_ in the Underworld. That whole 'I need a hero' bit seems _juuuust_ perfect right about now. Problem? You've got a bloodthirsty Hydra to take down."

Phil perked up. "Hydra, you say? 'At's an easy one, ya just get up on-" Hades did to Phil what he did to Goofy a minute ago.

"So now you've the choice of an era: you either stay here and let Meg rot in the Underworld, or you save her and leave the invisible audience at the mercy of the Hydra. Your choice." Hades quickly teleported back to the Underworld before Hercules could punch him. The hero sighed.

"Now what am I going to do?"

"Ahyuck!" Sora laughed. "He couldn't o' picked a better day to pull that kinda trick! You've got three junior heroes ready to help ya!"

Donald and Goofy laughed, which lead to Hercules smiling.

"You guys would do that? Thanks, I owe you."

"Nah you don't owe us anything." Goofy reassured him.

"Goofy, you've really lost that accent. But Sora, how'd you get it? You didn't have it when you walked in. And how did you change your clothes?" Hercules was confused, but Donald told him it'd be better to not worry about it. "Okay well the audience wants to see me and I can't disappoint them, so I'll be the one tackling the Hydra."

Phil spoke up. "Herc if ya wanna beat the Hydra, just remember to get up-"

"So that leaves you three to head into the Underworld."

Goofy pointed his thumb to his chest. "You can count on us!" At that time, Pegasus appeared.

**Name: Pegasus**  
><strong>Miles per Hour: 100<strong>

Hercules's winged horse licked Donald for no reason. No one spoke for a while after that, thoroughly confused and disturbed. Eventually it was Hercules who broke the silence.

"… So anyway, you'll need the Olympus Stone to help out down there. You'll be safe from the curse and you can fight to your full potential. The problem is that someone in a dark coat took it away."

"Organization XIII…" Goofy rubbed his chin.

"You shouldn't have too much trouble searching for it. Pegasus will help. He'll just kind of fly around and look on his own, though. Good luck!"

* * *

><p>Down in the Underworld, Goofy, Donald, and Sora were looking around for Meg. Goofy was shouting her name in the doorway that led to the Cave of the Dead, and Donald checked under a small rock.<p>

"Gawrsh, ya think Auron will help us?" Sora asked. Goofy slapped his forehead.

"Goofy, can you go a minute down here without thinking about Auron?"

Sora laughed. "Ahyuck, nice try Sora! But I can tell ya like Auron just as much as I do from when we fused t'gether!"

Goofy was embarrassed. Donald ran past the both of them, quacking up a storm. They had forgotten that there was a whole region of the Underworld left to explore. They had yet to explore the Underworld Cave.

* * *

><p>After a little while, the three friends had caught up with the member of Organization XIII.<p>

"Got ya!" Goofy said, startling the Nobody.

"Gaah! Don't sneak up on me like that!"

The Nobody pulled his hood down to show a young man with a dirty blonde Mohawk-mullet combination.

**Name: Demyx**  
><strong>Laziness Level: 117<strong>

Demyx then pointed at Sora. "Roxas! What are you doing here? And with strange animals?"

"Rucksack? Gawrsh, who's he?"

"Since we traded bodies, I think he's talking about me." Goofy told Sora before turning his attention back to Demyx. "Give us the Olympus Stone!"

"Oh this?" Demyx held the Olympus Stone out. "Walking over to get it and throwing it over both take too much effort." The Nobody paused. "Come to think of it, why do I have this again? Oh well. C'mon Roxas, come back to us. Don't make me use effort."

"My name is Sora." Goofy said. Then he realized his mistake. "Well actually he's Sora, but he's also me. We traded bodies you see, and-"

"DANCE WATER, DANCE!"

Demyx had pulled out a blue sitar shaped like the Nobody emblem and began playing. Watery clones of his appeared.

"I don't feel up to fighting, so these guys will do it for me! You'd just better hope you can beat them before I finish this song or else your heart's mine!"

"Gawrsh!" Sora was startled. "Does he mean yer heart or mine?"

"No time, just beat his forms!" Goofy ordered. He, Donald, and Sora all did their best and mowed down as many of Demyx's forms as possible. After a while, they were all gone.

"I need more time!" Demyx was freaked out. "Dance, water! Da-" Goofy used his shield to knock the sitar out of Demyx's hands. "Not bad…" Demyx disappeared with a dark corridor, but dropped the Olympus Stone. "Crap!"

Goofy picked up the Olympus Stone and held it above his head. The three friends were filled with the power of light.

"Hey fellas! I feel like I can Drive!" Sora announced. "C'mon Sora, let's try this again!"

"Okay, but since you're wearing the clothes, you have to do it." Goofy told Sora. The dog in the boy's body tilted his head.

"Well golly, how do I do that?"

"Just concentrate."

Sora then concentrated. There was a flash, and he became Valor Sora once more.

"Okay! … Hey, I feel like me again! I hope this works…" Sora said. "Come on Donald, we've got to save Meg!" Donald nodded and the two friends ran further into the cave.

* * *

><p>At the end of the Underworld Cave, Sora and Donald reached the entrance to the Well of Captivity. It was locked, but there were advantages to having a weapon that could lock and unlock any lock ever. Once the way was opened, the friends hopped in and found Hades with a tied-up Meg.<p>

"Well what took you clowns so long?" Hades asked. "Well the Underdrome's open once more. Ta-ta." Hades disappeared. However with one villain gone, another appeared and Meg noticed.

"Sora, behind you!"

Sora turned and found Pete standing there.

"Ahaha! Here comes trouble!" Pete announced. "I hope ya packed yer bandages, 'cause Pete's invincible!" Pete activated a force field. "And so long as yous guys are in da Underworld, y'all can't fight neither! Hahaha!"

Sora came at Pete with the Kingdom Key and Star Seeker and went ballistic on the force field. Donald quacked to his friend.

"Yeah you're right, I guess I should work on equipping new key chains. The Kingdom Key's kind of weak."

Then Hercules ran in and punched Pete. He punched Pete so hard that the shield disappeared and the hit landed.

"Owie!" Pete cried. Pegasus flew in and made sure to kick Pete in the head with his hind legs as he went over him. "Double owie!" The fat cat fell over.

Sora freed Meg from her bonds with the Keyblade. "Don't worry about Hercules, we'll back him up. Just ride on Pegasus to safety-"

Pegasus licked Sora out of nowhere. Once again there was a long moment of awkward silence.

"… I'll just go." Meg decided. She hopped on Pegasus's back an rode him out of the well. As Pegasus was leaving, Pete was getting back up, so the horse took another opportunity to kick Pete in the head.

"Triple owie!" Pete rubbed his head and turned around to find Valor Sora, Donald, and Hercules all ready to take him on. "Uhh… Later, losers!" Pete ran away like a fat sissy girl.

"Well… that was anticlimactic." Sora observed. At that time, he reverted to being Sora and Goofy. Donald asked the two how they felt.

"Gawrsh, I feel great!" Goofy said with his accent back. "Hey! I'm back t' bein' me!"

"Me too!" Sora said.

Hercules put his hands on Sora and Goofy's shoulders. "Whatever you're talking about, it sounds like you've achieved something. That's good and all, but we have to hurry back to the coliseum before Hades pulls any more tricks."

Sora and Goofy nodded.

* * *

><p>When everyone returned to the coliseum, they found it to be in ruins. A giant, purple reptile with a long neck was thrashing around like it owned the place.<p>

**Name: Hydra**  
><strong>Rating: A real headcase<strong>

The Hydra saw Hercules, Sora, Donald, and Goofy and then roared.

"No… I'm a failure…" Hercules got down on his knees. "I let the Hydra wreck this place while I went down to save Meg! I thought I killed it! But I was wrong." Hercules lamented. "I'm worthless…" Hercules slouched and walked away, pouting. Thanks to his depression, Hercules's skin had shifted to a sickly gray, though only slightly.

"Gawrsh Sora, I dunno if we can handle this Hydra without Hercules! I mean we're only junior heroes!"

"Hey fagedaboudit! We're here too, ain't we?" Sora and friends turned to find Phil, Pegasus, and Meg ready to help. "I got urns!"

"I can fix your health." Meg said. Pegasus whinnied. Sora nodded in determination.

"Right!" The boy turned to face the Hydra, which roared at the party. "Let's go!" Sora and the party ran up to the Hydra to take it head-on while the others went to places they thought would help best. The Hydra roared.

"Wow, this thing has bad breath." Sora commented. He jumped out of the way of a nasty bite and continued smacking its head. Once it was done for, Sora sliced through it. The Hydra stuck its head in the ground and three more popped up elsewhere. Phil grabbed a giant urn.

"Sora! Get up on the hyd- Oh you're already there."

Sora was on the Hydra's back. Phil threw an urn to the boy, who grabbed it and slammed it down on the Hydra's back, causing the three heads to stiffen their necks in pain. Donald and Goofy took care of two of the heads while Sora came down and took care of the third one. He slashed through all three heads much like the first. The only problem with that was that the Hydra's body stuck its neck out of the ground to reveal seven more heads.

"How many heads does this thing have?" Sora was exasperated, and Donald seemed to be quacking similar sentiments.

"It's a Hydra! Cut off its head and more replace it, capice?" Phil asked. Sora smacked his own head. "Look, I gotta nice urn here, I throw it to da ground and you ram it into da heart of the beast and it's over!"

"Hmm." Sora started. "It sounds good, but how can we keep all seven heads distracted long enough for this to work?"

Pegasus whinnied. This caught Sora by surprise, and then the horse swooped down, picking Sora up and putting him on his back. "I get it now! Charge!"

Pegasus flew up to one of the Hydra's heads and licked it. The head stopped what it was doing for an awkward pause. Using this time, Sora had Pegasus quickly fly over to another head and do the same thing.

"Gawrsh…" Goofy and Donald were watching this and were very confused.

"Hurry, five more!" Sora said. Pegasus licked the remaining heads, all putting them in an awkward pause. Donald and Goofy were snapped out of it when a heavy urn crashed right in front of them, with Sora on top of it. "Hurry!"

Donald and Goofy nodded. The three rammed the urn into the Hydra's chest, defeating it.

* * *

><p>Hercules had returned and kindly tossed the Hydra's corpse in the sun's direction. Knowing Hercules, the body likely reached its target. He then promptly sat down and continued pouting while everyone gathered around him.<p>

"Herc? You gonna be okay?" a concerned Sora asked his friend. "It's not your fault, you said it yourself that you thought the Hydra was already dead!"

Meg smiled. "Thanks guys, we'll take care of it from here."

"Just let us know if Hades or Pete and the Heartless are acting up. Or that weird guy that stole the Olympus Stone. … Or if you see Auron walking around, Goofy and I still never got his autograph."

Donald quacked to Phil.

"Nope! Still junior heroes!"

Donald's heart sank. Sora and friends started walking out, but then Sora turned back around.

"Oh wait, I have to give this back." Sora pulled out the Olympus Stone, but then his Keyblade started reacting to it. "Uh, hold that thought. You can have it right after this."

Sora held out his Keyblade and unlocked the world's Keyhole with the help of the Olympus Stone. Afterwards, it floated back to Hercules.

"There you go!" Sora said. Pegasus flew over to Sora. "Aww, you want to say goodbye too? Hey that reminds me, thanks for helping with the Hydra. We couldn't have done it without-" Pegasus licked Sora.

Another long, awkward silence ensued.

**To be continued.**

* * *

><p>-Demyx's laziness level is nine multiplied by thirteen.<p>

-Imagine that, I got through the whole chapter without completing the famous line.


	6. Steamboat Wet Willie

**Chapter 5: Steamboat Wet Willie**

"Jafar, Hades, Hook, Ursula, Oogie-Boogie, where are all of those _fools_?" Maleficent demanded to know. She and Pete were back in Hollow Bastion.

"Well you know I met with Hades. But den after dat Hydra died, he said, 'scram before I fireballs ya!' As fer Jafar, he's trapped in a lamp. Meanwhile Captain Hook and Ursula never called back, so-"

"Idiots…"

"And also dat Organization XIII is gettin' in da way."

"Hmm… I've heard that name mentioned by those fools who have been congregating with Merlin. But I have never learned more. Tell me about this organization."

* * *

><p>In a castle somewhere, Minnie Mouse was a library. She looked really fancy.<p>

**Name: Queen Minnie Mouse**  
><strong>Favorite Cheese: (Queen Minnie is unable to take questions at this time)<strong>

Two squirrels ran into the library. One had a black nose, the other had a red nose and buckteeth. They were respectively known as Chip and Dale, and both seemed panicked.

**Names: Chip and Dale**  
><strong>Job: They run the Gummi Hangar<strong>

"Your majesty, the Hall of the Cornerstone is in trouble!" Chip said.

Dale nodded. "Yeah it's in real big trouble, ahyuck!"

* * *

><p>Sora, Donald, and Goofy found themselves in the Gummi Hangar back at Disney Castle.<p>

"So this is your world?"

"Yep!" Goofy said as Donald nodded his head. "Purty dang excitin', am ah right?"

"Well so far I've only seen this room, so not yet."

Goofy squinted his eyes and focused intently on Sora.

"Not sure if trolling or just stupid." the knight said. At that point, Chip and Dale showed up.

"Guys, guys! Queen Minnie needs to see you! The castle's in danger! Heartless everywhere!"

Donald and Goofy's jaws dropped.

* * *

><p>The three friends and the two squirrels walked out of the giant, hedge castle in time to get tackled by some Heartless.<p>

_**DISNEY CASTLE**_

The squirrels hurried into the castle. At the same time, the heroes got the Heartless off of their backs and started fighting. They kept fighting every Heartless they saw in the courtyard, but to no avail.

"Guys, I don't think this is going to-"

"Get off our property!" Goofy yelled to a Heartless. Donald started quacking. "Yeah what he said!"

"Um… Shouldn't we worry about your queen?" At this point, Donald and Goofy stopped what they were doing and remembered their queen.

"Gawrsh…"

Everyone hurried back toward the library and only fought the Heartless that were directly in the way or about to attack.

* * *

><p>After a long and tiring trip, they made it into the library.<p>

"Your majesty!" Goofy and Donald spoke at once and saluted.

"Oh! You're back! … Who is that?" Minnie asked, pointing to Sora. The boy was busy fighting with one of the broom servants.

"Aw that's just Sora." Upon hearing Goofy mention his name, Sora turned to the others.

"What?"

"So those monsters in the castle, are they Heartless?"

"Yes, ma'am!" Goofy told her.

Minnie seemed upset. "Oh no, we'll need to warn everyone! Except… one of you needs to take me to the audience chamber."

Donald quacked his idea. He more or less said that Sora should guide Minnie while he and Goofy go, because Sora would get lost.

"Hey I don't get lost that easily!"

"But Sora, what about that time we accidentally ended up in that there Underworld instead o' the Olympus Coliseum?"

"I was close!"

Donald quacked.

"I'd only just woken up!"

"And then-"

"Okay fine, I get lost! Big deal!"

Donald then quacked to Goofy, who nodded. "And I'll get the other side, ahyuck!"

They ran off. Sora turned to face Queen Minnie.

"So… audience chamber?"

"Yes."

"All right, it's just down the hall. I don't see how hard it can be!"

Sora opened the door to find a bunch of Heartless waiting outside. He turned around to find that Minnie walked at the speed of molasses.

"Oh… So that's how it can be hard…"

* * *

><p>After fighting his way through all the Heartless, Sora was bushed. Queen Minnie had <em>finally<em> made it to the door. The queen had opened it and the two went inside. Sora looked around. No Heartless.

"Phew!"

"Uh, Sora?" Queen Minnie tugged at his long shorts and motioned for Sora to look up, which he did. Bolt Tower Heartless were descending from the ceiling.

"Oh no…"

* * *

><p>After all of that, they had finally made it to the throne, and Sora was out of breath.<p>

"If there… are any more… heartless… I'll die…"

"Thanks to the Cornerstone of Light, this world has always been safe from evil!"

Sora begged to differ. "If _this_ is safe, what would it be like without it? I mean really." Queen Minnie squinted at Sora much like Goofy did before, making him uncomfortable. "Uhh… so let's see how the Cornerstone is doing?"

* * *

><p>The Hall of the Cornerstone was dark. Only the light of the Cornerstone was keeping the room lit. Its glow revealed wicked thorns all around the room.<p>

"So is this a security system?" Sora asked.

"Oh no!" gasped Minnie. "It's terrible!"

"Well I think it's quite lovely." a familiar voice rang in both their ears. A mirage of Maleficent had arrived.

"Maleficent!" shouted both Sora and Minnie.

"Indeed…"

"Gawrsh, I thought we killed ya!" Goofy said as Donald quacked. Sora turned around.

"Goofy? How long have you been here?"

"I'm just that powerful." Maleficent told Goofy. "Now I think it's time I took over this castle. I can make thorns around the Cornerstone that's here now because it was taken far away in the past. … Somehow that works."

Maleficent disappeared, distressing Minnie.

"Oooh, now what do we do?"

Donald started quacking, to Sora's confusion.

"What makes Merlin any better than anyone else we could ask? … Well I guess we could give it a shot."

* * *

><p>Once they had departed from Disney Castle, the Gummi Ship made a beeline for Hollow Bastion. The three friends all went straight to Merlin's house. When they opened the door, it was not a pretty sight.<p>

"Aah!"

"Gawrsh!"

Donald quacked. What they saw was… Merlin having a tea party with Cid.

"What? You wanted some ***-**** tea too?" asked Cid. Sora was covering his eyes.

"Actually, we just needed to barrow Merlin for a while. There's trouble at Disney Castle."

"All righty. … But only if you promise to learn magic again!"

Sora sighed. "All right, fine!"

* * *

><p>After his lesson, Merlin had warped Sora, Donald, Goofy, himself, and the ship to Disney Castle.<p>

"Oh I see. Thorns." Donald quacked about having already told Merlin that during Sora's lessons. "I say Sora, please keep this thing under control. Now then…"

Merlin used his magic and created a large, black and white doorway.

"Gawrsh!"

"In there is another world. Find the one who caused this and then lock the gate that they used. It's like this one, but different. Also, don't screw the future."

Sora was confused. "What do you mean?"

"I mean if you do anything that doesn't relate to your goal, I'll wring your little necks! What if you cause me to not grow this stylish beard? Now before you go, let me teach you some more magi-"

But Sora and friends had already gone through the door.

"… Oh they're good."

* * *

><p>Cornerstone Hill, a hill near the river. The Cornerstone of Light sad proudly atop the hill. The strange thing was that everything was in black and white like the old cartoons. The door materialized, literally spitting Sora, Donald, and Goofy out onto the hill.<p>

"Ow…" Sora got up. His limbs were like noodles, his clothes were more reminiscent of the clothes he wore on his last adventure, and his face looked cartoon-like.

"Gawrsh Sora, you look different."

"Huh?" Sora took a look at himself. "Whoa. That's trippy." But then Sora got a look at Goofy and Donald. "Hey you guys look different too!"

Donald and Goofy took a look at themselves.

"Well I'll be. I remember lookin' like this when I was younger." stated Goofy. Donald nodded his head.

"Why'd you guys look like this?"

"It's a Disney Town thing Sora, don't worry."

"Hey!"

Sora, Donald, and Goofy turned to find who had spoken to them. A fat, black cat wearing one-strap overalls and a steamboat captain hat.

**Name: Captain Pete**  
><strong>Future: To become a villain someday<strong>

"Any o' yous guys seen a villain around here? Like a fat cat?"

Sora, Donald, and Goofy squinted at Pete. The boy spoke up. "Not sure if trolling or serious."

"Oh I don't gots time for the likes o' you! If I had more time, I'd clean your clocks!" Captain Pete ran off, leaving the three friends alone.

"Well I guess Pete's our villain. Again." Sora said.

"Gawrsh Sora, this'd be the first time. Last time it was Hades!"

"Yeah but… Never mind, let's just go."

* * *

><p>Sora, Donald, and Goofy made it to the pier and caught up with Captain Pete.<p>

"Now what are you bozos doin'?"

"You're a bad guy!" Sora yelled.

"Dem's fightin' words!" Captain Pete swung his fist and tried to punch Sora, but he missed and Sora whacked him on the head with the Keyblade. "Owie! What did I ever do t' ya guys anyway?"

"Sora, I don't think he's who we think he is."

"Sora, huh?" asked Captain Pete. "I hereby declare personal war against all boys with keys, ducks, and walking dogs teamed up as a trio!"

"Sorry." Sora asked.

"Well if ya wanna make it up to me, go find my stinkin' boat!"

"Fair enough." Sora nodded. "Come on, guys."

Sora, Donald, and Goofy walked away to find the ship.

_**TIMELESS RIVER**_

Sora, Donald, and Goofy found a floating portal next to the Cornerstone of Light.

"I guess we go in…"

* * *

><p>Sora, Donald, and Goofy were in a small room, a living room of sorts. A dark vortex appeared in the center with a bunch of Heartless.<p>

"Hey this is King Mickey's ol' house from before he was a king!" Goofy observed. "… Donald?"

He'd noticed Donald getting sucked into the vacuum void in the center. Sora acted quickly and destroyed it. When all was well, Mickey Mouse showed up, dressed like his old self.

**Name: Mickey Mouse**  
><strong>Epicness: 410 (has yet to reach Level 10)**

He shook Sora's hand vigorously and ran off.

"That was weird. Oh hey look!" Sora walked over to a miniature curtain and pulled the string.

* * *

><p><em>-Maleficent: GEE PETE, YOU SURE SUCK AT EVERYTHING!<em>

_-Pete: WAAAAAAAAHHH! YOU'RE MEAN!_

* * *

><p>Sora, Donald, and Goofy found suddenly found themselves in a village. The thing was, they were much bigger than anything else there.<p>

Sora was astounded. "Whoa! We're giant! My dream has finally come true! Now I can play basketball!"

Goofy shook his head. "Actually Sora, we're at Lilliput. They're just tiny!"

"Aww… At least I can play basketball _here_." An airplane-themed Heartless flew past Sora, pimp slapping the back of his head as it went. "Ow! Heartless! After them!"

Donald ran over to the tower in the center of town. They started shooting marbles at the Heartless, destroying them.

"What kind of marbles are these?"

"Tiny cannonballs, Sora."

"Oh yeah."

With all of the Heartless destroyed, Mickey Mouse reappeared and shook Sora's hand once more.

"Um… thanks."

"Gawrsh Yer Majesty, I wanna shake hands too!"

Mickey thought for a second, shook Goofy's hand, then shook Donald's hand, and then ran away. Another curtain appeared.

* * *

><p><em>-Pete: Waaaah! She's mean! I wanna go back to being a steamboat captain!<em>

_(A door to Timeless River appears.)_

_-Pete: Jackpot!_

* * *

><p>Sora and friends found themselves in front of a giant burning skyscraper. Some car-based, Hotrod Heartless appeared.<p>

"HONK-HONK!"

"Uh-oh." Sora was concerned. "Let's Drive! _Light!_"

Sora tried to merge with Goofy, but instead merged with both Goofy and Donald.

**Sora - Anti Form**

He was almost entirely black, with yellow eyes. Anti Sora howled, but was hit by a Hotrod. As he was being pushed into the fire, Anti Sora plunged his claws into the Hotrod itself and tossed it into the fire. He then started climbing to the top of the building.

"Awooooooo!" he howled. He then jumped off the building and body slammed the other Hotrod, breaking it into pieces.

Mickey Mouse ran out, shook Anti Sora's hand, ducked under one of his claw swipes as if it were nothing, and ran away like usual. A curtain appeared. In an attempt to destroy it, Anti Sora ran up to it. Then the curtain opened before he could do anything.

* * *

><p><em>-Maleficent: So, a portal to the past…<em>

_(Maleficent looks inside.)_

_-Maleficent: The Cornerstone of Light… You might have a chance to redeem yourself yet._

* * *

><p>Anti Sora found himself on a construction site. A bunch of Hammerframe Heartless showed up. Each of them had a go at whacking Sora, but the beast made quick work of all of them. Once they were all defeated, the one being split back into three.<p>

"Ow… What happened? That wasn't Valor Form."

"Sora, are you feelin' stressed?"

Donald started quacking to Sora about what Anti Form is supposed to symbolize, but was interrupted when Mickey ran out and shook Sora's hand before leaving. A final curtain appeared.

"I wonder what this one's gonna show us…" Sora said as he pulled the rope to open the curtain.

* * *

><p><em>-Maleficent: The Cornerstone of Light! Go kidnap it! I'll follow it and find you and corrupt it. Then you must put it back. When the time comes, Disney Castle will be ours! Ahahahaha-HEEE-Hahahahaha-AAAAAHAHAHAHA-"<em>

_-Pete: ALL RIGHT I GET IT, LADY! Lousy no-good, stinkin'_

_(Pete's grumbling was cut off as he walked into the door, but he could still hear Maleficent's voice.)_

_-Maleficent's voice: And so help me if you fail this time, I'm sending you to Pirates of the Caribbean!_

* * *

><p>Sora, Donald, and Goofy were on Cornerstone Hill once more. Pete (from Sora's time) ran past.<p>

"Lalala! I got the Cornerstone of Light! Go me!"

Then Captain Pete ran past.

"Lalala! I found the fatso who stole mah boat! Go me!"

Sora, Donald, and Goofy were all annoyed.

"This is turning into Pete and Re-Pete! Let's nab present Pete already!"

"But Sora since we're in the past, that makes the captain the present Pete! You want future Pete!"

"Whoever he is, we're after the one that has a zipper on his butt. Let's go, guys!"

* * *

><p>Sora, Donald, and Goofy found themselves along the river, ready to deal with the Pete from their time. Pete had Captain Pete's steamboat, and the Cornerstone of Light was hostage in a cheap, wooden cage.<p>

"Later losers! Hahaha!" Pete taunted. He tried to start the boat, but it refused to work. "Aw come on! Lousy boat! No wonder I quit steerin' this piece o' junk!"

Pete hopped out of the boat and ran to the wharf, followed by Sora and friends. Captain Pete was there, and he noticed everybody.

"Dere he is, guys! Dat's the thief!" Captain Pete yelled. Pete got an idea.

"Uhh… no, dat's the one! I'm just poor ol' Captain Pete!"

"What? No way! _I'm_ Captain Pete! And dere's nothin' _poor ol'_ about me!"

Goofy rubbed his neck. "Golly Sora, I can't tell which one is which."

"Not sure if trolling or-" Sora was slapped by Donald. "Okay fine."

Sora stood behind a podium and slammed his fists down. "The one who actually committed the crime… is you!"

Pete from Hollow Bastion looked shocked.

"No alibi, no justice, no dream, no hope!"

"But-but-"

"It's time to pay for your crimes! _TAKE THAT!_"

Sora cast Fire on Pete.

"Yooooowwww!"

**HYPER COMBO K. O.!**  
><strong>PLAYER 1 WINS!<strong>

Pete got back up. "_OBJECTION!_ So I stole da lousy Cornerstone of Light! Not like any o' ya can prove it! Now get outta my way!"

"I don't think so!" Captain Pete said. He readied his fists as Sora and friends drew their weapons. Pete laughed.

"A fight, huh? All right then! CHARGE!"

Pete ran at his old self. Captain Pete just laughed. "Come get som- OOOOOH!" He was knocked down, but Sora cast Fire on Pete again.

"Yow! Quit doin' that!"

"I guess Merlin's lesson paid off after all!" observed Goofy.

"Grrrr! Time for a change!" Pete announced. He ran off and changed the scenery.

_TIMELESS RIVER PRESENTS: THE PETE SHOW!_  
><em>Starring: Pete, Captain Pete, Sora, Donald, and Goofy!<em>  
><em>Scene 1: The Fire<em>

"Bwahaha!" Pete laughed as the burning building was suddenly behind him. A fireball dropped onto his butt. "OH! BAD IDEA, BAD IDEA!"

Pete ran around, screaming about being on fire when he was suddenly run over by a Hotrod. Captain Pete quickly climbed up the building some and then did an elbow slam onto his future incarnation.

"OW! I don't remember ever havin' that ability! How about a change?"

_Scene 2: Mickey's House_

Pete picked up a bookshelf and hurled it across the room, hitting Goofy and Captain Pete. Donald quacked.

"Don't worry Donald, this shelf ain't nothin'! Now if it were a boulder that hit mah head, that might be different."

Sora ran up to Pete, but the fat cat activated a force field. "Tough luck kid, Pete's invincible!" Sora narrowed his eyes and held out a charm of some sort.

"_Give me strength!_"

"Sora!" a voice called out. A small, male chicken appeared, and he replaced Donald and Goofy. "I can do this!"

**Name: Chicken Little**  
><strong>Idol: Dr. John Dorian<strong>

Sora nodded. "Let's go!"

"Prepare to hurt!" Chicken Little told Pete.

He started chucking baseballs and firecrackers at rapid speed, in an attempt to break Pete's shield. "WOOHOO! HEY! WOOHOO! HOO! WOO! HOOHOO! WOO!"

"Hey! Quit it! Yer messin' up my force field! Stop it! You little runt! I'll show you!" Pete lowered his shield so he could run over and attack Chicken Little, but that was a bad idea, as he was now taking all the hits from Chicken Little's projectiles. "OOOH! BAD IDEA! Ow! Ow! Ow!"

"Ha!" Captain Pete grunted, throwing the bookshelf back at Pete.

"Ow! I'm tellin' Maleficent on you!"

"Who we talkin' about again?" Chicken Little asked before disappearing. Pete lost his temper, while Donald and Goofy returned to the fight.

"Time for a change!"

_Scene 3: Lilliput_

"Nothin' can go wrong here!" boasted Pete. He was proven wrong in an instant when the little tower started pelting him with marble-sized cannonballs. "OH COME ON!"

Donald and Sora hit Pete with Fire at the same time, and then Captain Pete gave him a Suplex.

"How are you usin' all these wrestlin' moves? I never took wrestlin'! That's it!"

_Scene 4: The Construction Site_

"Hey, he's runnin' outta scenery! We must almost be done!" called Goofy.

Pete jumped, and when he came back down, the boards launched Sora and company into the air. "Now I've got da upper hand, see?"

"Oh yeah?" Captain Pete asked. He did the same, knocking Pete into the air. Mickey Mouse just happened to still be playing around. He swung by on a rope and kicked Pete in the head.

"Why you little-" he was blasted with the Fire spell one last time. "Aaaahhh! I can't take no more!"

_The Pete Show_  
><em>The End<em>

"Screw dis! Waaaaah! Maleficent, they were mean t' me!" Pete cried as he ran into the door back to Hollow Bastion.

Sora locked the door for good once the cat was gone. "That'll do it!"

"Who was that weirdo, anyhow?" Captain Pete was confused. Goofy pat him on the back.

"Aww, don' you worry about it. You'll find out in about… hundred years maybe?"

"Wow, you guys are old." Sora noted. Donald quacked to Sora, and the boy nodded. "Yeah, our work here is done. Just… how are we gonna lug the Cornerstone all the way back to the hill from here?"

"Y'all could use mah boat! My deckhand Mickey hasn't shown up yet, so you can pilot it."

Sora's eyes lit up. "Yay!"

* * *

><p>Sora piloted the boat down the river, whistling the famous song.<p>

"Are we there yet?" Goofy asked.

* * *

><p>Back in the Hall of the Cornerstone, all of the thorns had vanished.<p>

"Hooray! The thorns are gone!" Chip cheered.

"Even though we shouldn't know they e'er existed! Raht, Chip?" Dale was confused as to how the timeline was supposed to be affected.

"Let's not worry about it." Chip told his friend. Sora, Donald, and Goofy then emerged from the monochrome era of _Steamboat Willie_.

"Gotta hand it to you Merlin, that Fire spell did great."

"That's good to hear, my lad. As a reward for taking my lesson and using it, you get this!" Merlin shot a blue orb at Sora. "Now you get Wisdom Form! Fuse with Donald to do magic damage! Unlike Valor Form, you don't get stronger from each hit, but with each Heartless you kill."

"Well there are lots of Heartless, so it doesn't seem too bad." Sora observed.

"Donald!" a new, female voice called out. Donald (as well as Sora) turned around. A female duck in a fancy dress had arrived.

**Name: Daisy Duck**  
><strong>Most Shameful Moment: The 'Daisy Ducky Room' song<strong>

"Who's that, Goofy?"

"Ahyuck! Daisy is Donald's very special sweetheart. And he's in trouble!"

Donald quacked at Goofy, telling him to shut up.

"Donald, where have you been? I was worried sick!" Donald lowered his head and explained what he was doing. "Well at least you're back now, so-"

"Actually Daisy, Sora still needs his help." Minnie explained. "Just for a little while longer."

"Fiddlesticks!" Daisy cursed. Sora walked over to Daisy.

"Don't worry ma'am, we'll bring Donald back safe and sound." Then Sora's Keyblade started reacting to the Cornerstone of Light. "Uh… Your Majesty, do you mind?"

Queen Minnie shook her head. Sora used his Keyblade and the Cornerstone of Light and unlocked Disney Castle's Keyhole.

"Gawrsh Queen Minnie, we'll be back with King Mickey before ya know it! Ahyuck!"

And with that, Sora and his friends were off to unseal more Keyholes, look for Riku and Mickey, and deal with any monsters that got in their way.

_**DISNEY CASTLE**_

**To be continued.**

* * *

><p>- Another voice actor reference, this time about Chicken Little.<p>

- I wasn't really motivated to do this one, because I wasn't having fun writing for Disney Castle. Timeless River, however, was much more fun.


	7. Heartless of the Caribbean

**Chapter 6: Heartless of the Caribbean**

Sora, Donald, and Goofy were in a new world. It was dark, by the sea, and very realistic.

"Ahyuck! Now we're in Jamaica!" the knight announced.

"You sure?" asked Sora. "Well either way, this world seems a bit more serious than any other one we've been to."

"GUYS!" a voice from somewhere else called. "I'M GONNA KISS THIS GOAT!"

Sora narrowed his eyes. "Never mind."

_**PORT ROYAL**_

"AAAHHH!" someone was in trouble near the rampart that the friends were on. The three quickly hurried to see what was the matter.

* * *

><p>Pete was at the harbor, talking to a bunch of pirates.<p>

"So Cap'n, an Aztec treasure did dis?"

**Name: Captain Hector Barbossa**  
><strong>Yearbook Quote: "What a horrible night to have a curse."<strong>

"Aye, that be correct, giant talking cartoon cat." Barbossa said while nodding. "Now me entire crew and I are neither among the livin' nor the dead."

"How can I believe you guys cursed, anyway?"

The moon made an appearance from behind the clouds. What was once a mob of pirates was then replaced by a crew of skeletons who were decomposing and wearing pirate garb.

"Whoa!" Pete said. "Dat's freaky! I can't wait to tell Peg about dis! Now if ya see a stupid kid holdin' a giant key and two other talking cartoon animals, ya gotta get rid a' them!"

"Hey, who are you calling a talking cartoon animal?" Sora asked, not hurting Pete's claim that he was stupid.

"There they are, Cap'n!" Pete warned. Barbossa grinned.

"Okay men, half of you stay behind. The rest, follow me." Barbossa hobbled away like a drunken man. The half of the crew that was to follow him all looked embarrassed.

"Great, Captain's drunk again…" They all slouched and followed him.

Donald quacked to Goofy.

"Gawrsh Donald, I dunno if the King's allowin' us to fight real people or not…"

Pete stopped picking his nose for a second. "Oh guys, don't let 'em hit you while yer true forms are exposed!"

Sora smiled. "Hey thanks Pete." When Pete realized his folly, he started throwing a hissy fit. In the meantime, Sora pulled out his Keyblade. Only now it was different. It was the Monochrome.

"Gawrsh Sora, ya finally remembered t' equip a new Keychain!"

"That I did, Goofy." Sora announced. "That. I. Did." He stared at Goofy with a creepy smile for a long time. Goofy smiled back with an average smile for a long time. The skeleton pirates were confused, but that left them open to Donald's thunder magic.

* * *

><p>During all the hubbub, a pirate was carrying a woman in a fancy dress over his shoulder.<p>

**Name: Elizabeth Swann**  
><strong>Trustworthiness: She's not a man of her word because she is, in fact, a woman.<strong>

"Let me go!" she shouted. The pirate carrying her thought about this.

"… Nah."

Some guy came out from nowhere, concerned for Ms. Swann.

**Name: Will Turner**  
><strong>Importance: Is- <em>was<em> supposed to be the lead character**

"Hey! … Give her back."

The pirate was still carrying her away, but he thought about this.

"… Nah."

Then a bunch of Heartless appeared before Will Turner.

"What kind of creatures are these?"

"I'll save ya, Orlando Bloom!" Goofy shouted. He ran up to one of the Heartless and rammed it into a wall with his shield, destroying the monster. Sora and Donald came along and fought the remaining Heartless, but not with as much vigor.

Turner was confused. "Who are you?"

"I'm-" Sora started, but was interrupted.

"Gawrsh Orlando Bloom, I'm yer biggest fan! Name's Goofy! Uhhh, that's Sora n' Donald. Can I have yer autograph?"

"Um… I appreciate the help, but I have no idea what you're talking about."

Sora shook his head. "It's okay, Goofy's probably just mistaken you for someone else."

"Listen, I have to rescue Ms. Swann from those pirates. Will you help me?" Turner asked.

"… Okay." Sora said.

* * *

><p>The three friends and Will Turner hurried through the town, with Goofy asking Turner more questions that he couldn't possibly understand. Before long, they were back in the harbor. But the pirates were gone.<p>

"No… we're too late." Turner lamented.

"Aye, indeed you are." another voice called out. The four turned around to find another pirate standing aboard another ship. "_The Black Pearl_ is the fastest ship out there, savvy?"

**Name: (Captain) Jack Sparrow**  
><strong>Current Appetite: A peanut<strong>

Sora squealed. "Guys! It's a pirate! I've always wanted to meet a pirate!"

"Well you can't join me, if that's what you're thinking." Captain Sparrow said flatly.

Sora bounced up and down like a rubber ball, still excited. "I have no idea what you just said!"

"Mr. Sparrow, what are you-" Will was interrupted.

"_Captain_ Sparrow." Jack corrected.

"What are you doing with _The Interceptor_?"

"I'm commandeering her, savvy? Me an' this jar of dirt have to catch Barbossa." Jack showed the others the jar of dirt cradled under his arm.

"Take us with you!" Sora pleaded, leading Turner to nod.

"He's right, I need to rescue Ms. Swann. If you take me with you, that'll be repaying me for freeing you from jail."

"Huh?" Sora was confused. "Oh. Yeah that's why. Yeah…"

Turner kept talking. "If nothing else, you at least need a crew, don't you?"

Jack was intrigued. "You've a point there. I'll need to consult with the missus." Jack held up the jar of dirt to his ear and nodded his head periodically. He finally lowered it and turned to the others. "You're in. Now hurry before I become sober."

Will, Donald, and Goofy all boarded the ship. Sora was jumping around.

"I'm gonna be a pirate! I'm gonna be a pirate!" the boy sang, tauntingly. He was the last to board. "By the way, I'm Sora. Their names are Donald and-"

"I don't care, Zola." Jack said.

"I'm Will Turner." introduced Turner. Jack nodded.

"Ah, named for your father."

* * *

><p>Elsewhere on the ship, Donald and Goofy were talking to Sora.<p>

"But Sora, I thought ya said ya didn't want to be a pirate."

"And I don't." the boy told his friend. "I just wanted to _meet_ a pirate. I got caught up in the moment. ... And by meeting a pirate, I meant one that wasn't working for Pete or Maleficent. ... I have to go to the bathroom."

* * *

><p>There was still time before the party had to set sail, so Sora quickly took care of some personal business.<p>

"That's the end of that." Sora said as he walked out of an outhouse. Jack popped out from behind a barrel.

"Zola, I have a question."

"Gaah! Mr. Sparrow, why were you-"

"_Captain_ Sparrow, mate."

"Why were you behind the barrel?"

"So what do ya make of this Will Turner?" asked Jack, completely ignoring Sora's inquiry. The young man shrugged.

"I dunno, we just met him a few minutes ago. Goofy's really taken to him, though."

"Hmm…" Jack inspected his new companion from a distance. Goofy was poking him. "I think me luck's about t' change. I see three sequels and m'self becoming the main character." Then Jack looked down to his jar of dirt. "I'm sure there's a place for you, too."

"Why do you keep talking to the jar?"

"It's not just a jar, savvy? It's a jar that's full of dirt."

Sora gave Jack a look of confusion and pity. He held this particular gaze for a good while. "… I'm going to go away now, Captain."

"Suit yourself."

* * *

><p>Aboard Barbossa's ship, which Jack told the others was stolen from he himself, Barbossa and Ms. Swann were having dinner. Being in a state between life and death, Barbossa could not partake in the meal.<p>

"Go on Ms. Swann. Eat. Do it. Eat. Go on. Go. Eat."

"Why do you want me to eat it? It's been poisoned, hasn't it?"

Barbossa laughed. "Oh this be funnier than the time I accidentally lost me monkey, Jack. Except that wasn't funny. It was actually quite sad. Anyway we be needin' ya alive, so no worries."

Barbossa stood up.

"We're cursed men, Ms. Turner. Ya see, ever since we stole the Aztec treasure, we be zombies or somethin'. Now we can't eat, drink, or [?], not until the blood of everyone in the guilty party is returned to the chest, as well as every last medallion. One a the guilty was Bootstrap Bill. He was of the Turner family. So since yer a Turner, it all works out." Barbossa started swigging a bottle of wine.

* * *

><p>Sora walked up to Jack as he was steering <em>The Interceptor<em>, completely over his past encounter with the captain. Something was in his hand.

"Yo dawg I heard you like rum, so I put rum in your rum so you can drink rum while you drink rum." Sora told Jack.

"Right you are." the pirate responded. Just as he was about to start drinking, Will smacked it out of his hand.

"Honestly? While you're sailing?"

Jack pointed at Turner. "First, never do that again. Second, iss fine. I saw me pen pal Linebeck drinkin' Chateau Romani on the sea and he didn't crash."

Donald started quacking, worried about something.

"What is he saying?" Will asked. Sora explained it for him.

"Pirates are boarding us!"

All of a sudden, Barbossa's skeleton crew was all over the ship. Donald thought quickly and froze all of them with ice magic. Sora and Goofy pushed the frozen skeletons off the sides of the ship. When Sora and friends returned to Jack and Will, Goofy noticed something.

"Gawrsh Cap'n, why are you lookin' at that compass? Whenever yer not drinkin' rum or talkin' to the jar of dirt, yer lookin' at that compass."

"Aye, it be leadin' us to Barbossa. See one time Barbossa and I were… and then… on an island… they got… eventually… using my hair… still had the… they're… and here I am now."

Sora tilted his head. "Captain, you left out a lot of words."

"Aye, lad. It's because I'm drunk. Also the missus tells it better than I do, anyway. Isn't that right?"

The jar of dirt was just sitting in the middle of the deck, not doing anything. That last part was not apparent to Jack.

"Right you are." Jack told his jar. "Now we're headed for Isla de Muerta."

* * *

><p>After half an hour of Jack drunkenly steering the ship in a circle over and over, the crew finally reached Isla de Muerta. All five men found themselves on dry land. Jack was talking to the three visitors from outside the world.<p>

"All right, Turner and I will be rescuing Ms. Swann. Or rather, Turner will rescue Ms. Swann while I rescue my ship. Boy, you can't come because you're too excited. Dog, you can't come because you'd stalk Will. Duck, you can't come because you frighten me. I _will_ be seeing you in my nightmares. Wear something nice when that time comes."

Jack and Turner started walking away, with the former looking at his compass, even while Goofy started clinging to his leg.

"Aw gee Cap'n, ya gotta let me prove my worth to Mr. Bloom somehow!" Goofy pleaded. Jack looked up from his compass and down to Goofy.

"All right, you'll be guarding the ship. Just make sure the rum's not gone by the time I return."

* * *

><p>"All right, men. Tonight we be gettin' rid of our curse."<p>

All of the other skeleton pirates cheered.

"When I get around to it." Barbossa added before drinking some more. Groans had replaced the cheers that previously echoed through the caves.

* * *

><p>The three friends were standing on the ship. Sora spoke first.<p>

"I think he just wanted to get away from us."

Then Donald quacked, agreeing with Sora. He suggested something to the boy.

"Hey good point, they might run into Heartless! So let's help them!"

"Gawrsh Sora, what if Cap'n Sparrow makes us walk the plank for disobeyin' orders?"

"Eh, we'll be fine. Just as long as nothing happens to his rum."

The three friends started making their way to the caves, but Turner and Swann passed them in a hurry. Sora got a look at Swann and whistled to himself, then Turner looked back.

"We have to escape, let's go!"

Sora was disheartened. "But… without Jack? I don't wanna!"

"Sora, how 'bout we just hold these pirates off and maybe then the Cap'n will come?"

Turner nodded. "Sounds good." Turner and Swann hurried to the ship, leaving the other three to fend off against their enemies.

"Suddenly, pirates!" Sora yelled. "_Give me strength!_" Sora became Valor Sora and quickly started wailing on the pirates. Sora did not have to worry about killing them, because he had found out everything about the curse from the jar of dirt.

How could he know from the jar of dirt, you ask? … Oh hey look, Sora and Donald won.

"You know Donald, I think I'm getting the hang of this Drive thing."

The signal flare went off, and Donald started quacking. The red clad boy Donald hurried back to the ship.

"Where's Goofy?" Turner asked.

"Well we fused into one being for extra power. That's how my clothes turned red. He'll be back in a minute. I can feel his presence in me though, because I have this sudden urge to ask for your autograph. Why didn't Jack ever leave with you, anyway?"

"Oh. Well Barbossa found out that he didn't need Ms. Swann's blood like he thought. I saved her and left Jack in the cave unconscious." Turner explained.

* * *

><p>Will was confined to Time Out under the deck, for being inconsiderate to Jack. Luckily for him, he had Swann to talk to.<p>

"You gave them my name instead of yours?"

She nodded. "I did."

Then the man noticed something. "Elizabeth, what is that medallion?"

"I took it from you when no one was looking on that day we found you at sea."

Then it hit Will like a train. "Oh I get it! The reason they were eager to get your blood as Ms. Turner was because they really want my family's blood. I think I'm a pirate. I'll have to watch the other two movies to make fully sure though."

"Do you think those three on deck can handle the monsters attacking us?"

Turner nodded. "Yeah. And say 'four', you're forgetting the jar of dirt." Elizabeth gave her friend a confused stare. "… I know, but Jack would want it that way."

* * *

><p>Later on the deck, Elizabeth Swann saw that <em>The Black Pearl<em> was following them. "Will, it's Barbossa!"

"Don't worry! I'll keep you safe, Ms. Swann!" Sora announced.

"No, I'll keep her safe." said Turner.

"And I'll keep Mr. Bloom safe!" Goofy threw in, making Turner feel uncomfortable.

Then a cannonball hit the ship, and the shaking caused Will to fall overboard. "Oh no, I've failed already!" Goofy cried.

The medallion was dropped on the deck, and Sora picked it up. That's when he noticed a bunch of pirates around the ship's deck.

"Uh-oh."

Surrounded by pirates, Sora, Donald, and Goofy could not let them get the medallion. Elizabeth had taken the jar and went below deck.

"_Let's go!_"

"Sora!" a familiar voice called. Chicken Little returned, glaring confidently at the pirates. "Prepare to hurt!"

Sora and Chicken Little kept the pirates distracted by pelting them endlessly with firecrackers and baseballs, but it was having little effect. Then Sora changed his strategy. As each pirate was busy blocking themselves from the attacks, Sora used Fire on all of them, sending the enemies in a frenzy to jump into the ocean to douse themselves. Eventually the battle was won.

"Yeah, we're awesome!" Sora cheered.

"Lad, look over here." Barbossa called. Sora and Chicken Little turned to find that Barbossa had kidnapped Elizabeth and he still had Jack.

"Barbossa!" Turner called. Everyone looked to find Turner on the side of the _Pearl_. "Let her go or I'll shoot myself!"

Barbossa was less than pleased. "… Name your terms."

"Release Ms. Turner, and Sora and Donald."

"… And?" Sora asked.

Turner nodded. "And this chicken."

"Who we talkin' about?" Chicken Little was confused. Sora rolled his eyes.

"Okay, Goofy too." Turner submitted.

"All right." Barbossa said. "But Pete and the Heartless will still have their way with ye."

"Wait, what?" Turner asked. Pete knocked him out and slung the man over his shoulder while some Heartless caught Sora and Chicken Little by surprise and tied them up.

* * *

><p>Sora and Chicken Little were tied together under the deck while Jack and Elizabeth were tied together.<p>

"Hope ya enjoy TNT! This ship will be history before ya know it! Bwahaha!" Pete laughed. He and the pirates were soon long gone.

"Man, that's no fair!" Sora said.

"Pirate. It's a given." Jack explained. "Fortunately, Barbossa has forgotten a very important fact that the missus has yet to be tied up. She can free us."

Across the room, the jar of dirt was on the floor. It remained motionless. Fortunately, Chicken Little vanished and was replaced by Donald and Goofy. In the brief time there was no one with Sora, the rope fell to the ground, leaving Donald and Goofy free from the rope when they appeared. The two freed Sora, and all three freed Jack and Swann.

"Come on Jack, we've got to stop those bombs!" Sora declared.

"Right you are. … After me drink."

"Jack!" everyone else yelled.

"Oh fine…"

* * *

><p>After taking care of the Heartless, Jack took the helm once more.<p>

"I've had it with these bloody Heartless on this bloody ship. I'm getting my own ship back. Tonight. When we arrive, Ms. Turner, stay here."

"But Will could die!"

"No he can't!" Goofy said. "He's Orlando Bloom! He helped save Middle Earth, a couple a pirates are no match fer him!"

This reassurance made no sense to Ms. Swann, but she took it anyway. Not much else one could do when a talking dog man decided to talk to them.

* * *

><p>Sora, Donald, Goofy, and Captain Sparrow ran into the cave where Barbossa, Turner, the pirates, and all the treasure were. Without warning, the party started defeating pirates left and right. With his captor distracted by the intrusion, Turner quickly got away from Barbossa.<p>

"Sora, Jack. And Sora's friends. Thank you."

"Gawrsh Mr. Bloom, anythin' fer you!"

Barbossa was stumped. "Impossible, how did ye survive the bombs?"

"I'm Jack Sparrow!" the captain explained. "I poured rum on them." Barbossa was unimpressed, and pointed out a problem with Jack's answer.

"But… but rum be flammable!"

Sora nodded his head. "Yeah it just made things worse. So Donald just used Ice on them and it was easy after that."

Captain Jack stepped forth. "Hector, you will remember this as the day you _almost_ bombed Jack-

"Why you!" Barbossa then stabbed Jack all the way through his torso. Captain Sparrow hobbled backwards and into the moonlight, revealing himself to be a skeleton himself. On top of all that, dirt was pouring from him.

"Jack!" Sora shouted.

"So you took a medallion to keep yerself from dyin'? I admit, that's clever." Barbossa told his foe.

"You didn't kill me, but you've killed me wife." Jack pulled shards of the broken jar out of his vest as dirt continued to pour from him. "Now I have to kill you."

Barbossa stepped back, a bit uncomfortable about how outnumbered he was. "… Pete! Get me that pet iguana ye be talkin' about!"

Behind a stone pillar, Pete looked up from reading a magazine. "Huh? What? Oh sure." Without any interest, Pete bored-ly tossed an Illuminator Heartless from his pocket into the battlefield.

"_Heh-heh-heh…_" the Heartless laughed. Its eyes glowed and everything turned dark. Then it was Barbossa's turn to laugh.

"Now ye can't be killin' me with the moon's light!"

"But you can't kill me either, mate." Jack told him.

"But I can be killin' yer mates."

Sora, Donald, Goofy, and Will realized that they were in trouble.

"Mr. Bloom, get outta here quick!" shouted Goofy. Will left and Sora assessed the situation.

"Okay guys, we just have to look for the Heartless and we're all good!"

"I'll blast ye to bits first!" Barbossa started going at the party with his sword. He got a few good hits in since he could see in the dark for some reason. The light given off by the Heartless's eyes gave away its position.

"Aha!" Sora immediately went up to the Heartless and slew it, bringing normal lighting back to the room.

When the boy turned around, Jack and Barbossa were engaged in a swordfight, both of them skeletal. The boy took this chance and hit Barbossa with Fire.

"Yarr!" Barbossa turned around and started attacking Sora. The boy quickly stepped on Barbossa's sword, keeping it on the ground. When the pirate pulled out a gun to attack, Sora acted fast and whacked him across the face with the Monochrome.

"It's over!"

"Arr!" Barbossa fell backwards, defeated. His weapons both hit the ground. He got back up, to Donald's chagrin.

"You are correct, nightmarish duck. This is taking too long." Jack said as he dropped his sword, only to pull out a gun. He threw his medallion aside and shot Barbossa.

"… That be all?" asked the evil pirate. But he saw something out of his peripheral vision. Will had dropped the last of the blood and the medallions into the chest.

"You're through, Barbossa." Turner said.

"… I see what you did there, Jack." Those were Barbossa's last words. Sora walked up to Jack.

"You were awesome! ... I just saw a person die."

Goofy walked up to Will Turner. "Shucks Mr. Bloom, you were neat too!"

"Aye, but he'll be returning in the sequel movies." Jack warned. "But we need not be worrying about that for now."

"Oh okay then." Sora was relieved.

* * *

><p>Outside the cave, everyone was heading back to the ship. Will spoke first.<p>

"Thank you, Jack."

"Whatever. Now I can do what I want. _The Black Pearl_ is mine again. And I won't be alone." Jack pulled out a small sack of dirt.

"Is that-?" Sora tried to ask. Jack nodded.

"The missus will live. I'll have some catchin' up to do with the Pearl, but the missus and I have an understanding."

"Well I hope the three of you are very happy." Sora said, genuinely pleased.

Jack walked off, staggering like the drunk he was. Elizabeth Swann passed him, embracing her dear Will Turner.

"You're safe!"

"Elizabeth!"

Sora watched them. "Good for them." He seemed a bit disappointed.

"Yer jealous of Mr. Bloom, ain't ya?" Goofy teased.

Sora turned red. "Hey shut up! You're jealous of Ms. Swann! Say that reminds me, wasn't there supposed to be a Keyhole we had to fiddle with?"

"Runaway compass!" Jack shouted from a distance.

The compass floated toward Sora. It was reacting to his Keyblade. He then used both to unlock Port Royal's Keyhole.

"That oughta do it!" Sora then noticed that Goofy was looking at a piece of paper. "Goofy, what is that?"

"I finally got Orlando Bloom's autograph!"

**To be continued.**

* * *

><p>-He probably just signed it to get Goofy to stop pestering him about being Mr. Bloom. There is only Mr. Turner.<p>

-I was not a fan of the _Pirates_ movies when I wrote the first draft of this chapter, years ago. By the time of this story being uploaded, I've seen them now and enjoy them. And I think this chapter's much better for it, in addition to the general improvement in grammar and such.


	8. A Whole Old World

**Chapter 7: A Whole Old World**

_**AGRABAH**_

A red parrot was flying through the bazaar.

**Name: Iago**  
><strong>Known Relatives: Aflac Duck<strong>

"Geez Louise could Agrabah _be_ any further from the well? … Hello!" Iago noticed three people entering town.

"We are somewhere in, or around, the Middle East."

"Face it, Goofy. You don't know for sure which country each world is in anymore."

"Aw c'mon Sora, give me a chance!"

"Hey guys!" greeted Iago.

"Oh hey Iago." Sora greeted back. Then it finally registered in his head whom he'd just spoken to. "Iago? But you were in the lamp with Jafar! Does this mean… Jafar is out of the lamp?"

"No, no I'm good, I swear! I even started helping these kids in the internet solve math problems for PBS! And then I replaced my cousin when he lost his job! I'm legit!"

"Ya can't fool us, Iago! We know yer still rotten as a rake." Goofy pointed his finger at Iago. Donald looked at his friend with disbelief.

"Aw come on! I just want to make amends! You gotta believe me! I've got a wife and three eggs!"

Goofy was touched. "Aww fellers, I say we give 'im a chance."

"No Goofy, it's a trap!" Sora warned. "First they lure you in with their sympathetic motives, then they have you writing fan fictions about them and the main hero in a relationship! You were _just_ calling him as rotten as a rake!"

From the shadows, a Luna Bandit Heartless jumped onto Sora's back.

"Hey! Get off!" Sora wrestled the monster off and turned to find that more were giving Goofy and Donald a hard time. Iago was panicking and managed to accidentally knock an urn off a ledge and onto a Heartless's head. "There sure are a lot of them…"

Sora and friends got to work facing off against the Heartless, but there just never seemed to be an end to them.

"AAAAAHHHH! THEY'RE GONNA EAT ME! THEY'RE GONNA MAKE THANKSGIVING OUTTA ME! EVERY PARROT FOR HIMSELF!" Iago shrieked as he fled.

* * *

><p>Following Iago, Sora and company found themselves in front of the palace, where none other than the princess was there.<p>

**Name: Princess Jasmine**  
><strong>Disney Princess Ranking: Low Tier (due to not being the star)<strong>

"Your majesty!" Sora and Goofy greeted at once while bowing. Donald also bowed.

"Sora! Donald! Goofy! Hi!" Jasmine greeted back. No one said anything for a short while, then Sora broke the silence.

"So… How's Aladdin?"

"Oh he's been having trouble."

"Really?" asked Sora.

"Yes." the princess answered. No one said anything for a while after that.

"… You wanna tell us more about that?"

"… Oh! He's sad. Don't know why."

Iago popped out from behind Sora. "Hey! Maybe he has a girlfriend! I'll go find out and then after putting your relationship in jeopardy, you two will realize that I've turned over a new leaf!"

Sora slapped his own face. "… Let's just go look for Aladdin."

* * *

><p>Sora, Donald, and Goofy were walking through town while Iago was following them and being annoying.<p>

"Gee Sora, when do ya reckon somethin' worth readin' about will happen?"

"I don't know, Goofy. I don't know."

A small monkey ran past, holding a black lamp.

**Name: Abu**  
><strong>Greed Ranking: 1010**

A young man with a vest and no shoes ran after the monkey, and he noticed the party along the way.

"Hi Sora, Donald, and Goofy! Bye Sora, Donald, and Goofy!"

**Name: Aladdin**  
><strong>Stronger Than 40 Men?: No<strong>

Lastly, the thieves were followed by a short man with a large turban.

**Name: (Unknown, called "Merchant")**  
><strong>Night Job: Narrating<strong>

"Stop!" the merchant cried. "That is mine!"

With nothing better to do, Sora and friends followed the scene. By the time they caught up, the merchant had taken back his lamp and left.

"Hey Aladdin." Sora said.

"Hi again Sora, Donald, and Goofy. What brings you guys back here?"

"Gawrsh, we hafta unlock the keyhole while lookin' for Riku an' King Mickey on our Hubba Bubba-sponsored spaceship!"

Aladdin raised his eyebrow. "… That makes sense. Well Abu here has been busy getting his mitts on that lamp. Not sure why, though."

"Gee Sora, didn't that lamp look kinda like the one that-"

"That's crazy, Goofy. You're crazy." Sora told him.

* * *

><p>Everyone was in the shop.<p>

"Hey merchant guy, what's with the lamp there?"

"It is a lamp containing a powerful genie. I shall sell it to a person who can afford it!"

"Oh no!" Aladdin realized something. "That's Jafar's lamp! We can't let anyone rub it! We have to go into the Cave of Wonders and get something valuable to replace it, despite the fact that I'm in good with the princess and she's just as willing to get the lamp out of the wrong hands as I am!"

"Sounds like you have it all figured out…" Iago snarked.

"Sora, did you know that Iago's been with you this whole time?" the thief asked.

"Yeah we just ignore him. He hasn't caused any trouble." answered Sora.

Donald quacked to everyone.

"You're right Donald, we have to get to the Cave of Wonders. Maybe something interesting will happen in there!"

* * *

><p>Pete was heading into the Cave of Wonders.<p>

"Man I sure do love how now anyone can enter the Cave of Wonders willy-nilly!"

Sora, Donald, Goofy, Aladdin, Abu, and Iago all came up to the entrance, just missing the sight of Pete.

"Okay guys, just get in, grab the treasure, and get out!" Iago said. "I'll stay here where it's safe."

* * *

><p>Somewhere in the cave, Abu picked up a jewel and held it over his head.<p>

_[Abu found a Rupee! In Agrabah, that means nothing for your wallet!]_

"What a jip!" Aladdin complained. Then a jewel materialized over Abu's head and nearly hit him, had the monkey not dodged. "Abu, watch out!"

Abu noticed that there were more jewels trying to attack him. He started shrieking and screeching, prompting Sora and his companions to cover their ears.

"Gaah! I can't stand this anymore! Abu, put the jewel where it goes and let's move on!"

Abu did as he was told and placed the jewel in its slot. The floor fell out from under the party.

"AAAAAAAAAHHHHHHHH!"

They all screamed and landed on a smaller platform.

_"Defeat all of the enemies before time runs out, good luuuuck!"_ said a mysterious voice.

A bunch of Fat Bandit Heartless all warped onto the platform.

"Aw, we'll never beat 'em in time!"

Aladdin pulled out a scimitar and jumped at the Heartless.

"Aladdin?" Sora was confused.

"Time for the finale!" He quickly hacked and slashed at the weak backsides of the Heartless, doing enough damage. He came back to Sora's side. "I'm back."

Then more Heartless showed up, which Donald and Goofy started taking care of. Sora and Aladdin looked at each other and nodded.

"Time for a little teamwork!" Aladdin announced. Sora and Aladdin helped Donald and Goofy respectively before jumping in the air and changing sides, finishing each Heartless off. Their attack pattern was a success, and all the Heartless were eliminated.

* * *

><p>The gang had finally made it to the treasure room.<p>

"Now Sora? Will somethin' funny happen now? I don't recall anything laughable happening since we came to this here world!"

"Would you quit complaining? So Donald you like treasure, what do you think the merchant would like most of all?" Sora spoke. Donald scoped the room until he started quacking about a trophy. The whole time, Pete was watching from behind a mound of treasure.

"Hmm. If I can get dat lamp before these fellas, I can get Jafar! And then I can wish that he'll help me conquer da worlds! Then again, I've been needin' a fancy car… I'll just leave behind some bruisers. Completely tough Heartless that these guys couldn't handle in a million years!"

Pete summoned some Shadow Heartless and skipped off like a small child.

* * *

><p>After the easiest battle of their lives, Sora and the others had returned to Agrabah and the merchant's shop. Except… no one was home.<p>

"Hello?" Aladdin asked. "We have the treasure!"

Iago came out from behind Goofy. "HEY, BOZO! WE GOT YOUR STUPID TREASURE, NOW FORK OVER THE LAMP!"

Still no answer. Donald was looking out the window, and then noticed something. He tugged on Sora's leg and motioned for the boy to look out the window.

"… Pete's here! And he's trying to take the lamp from the merchant! We gotta stop him!"

"Gawrsh!"

"Who's Pete?" asked Aladdin.

* * *

><p>Soon, everyone who mattered had gathered in front of the palace gates. Pete was talking to the merchant.<p>

"Gimme that lamp!"

"Never!"

The fat cat's left eye started glowing and he spoke to the merchant. "Give the lamp to me."

"Yes, master." the merchant complied, under a trance. Pete laughed evilly and made a break for it, but Sora's entire entourage was there, blocking the exit.

"I don't think so, Pete!" Aladdin stated. "… Who are you, anyway?"

"Home sweet home!" a new voice announced, a rather deep and enthusiastic one. A blue man with a black goatee fell from the sky and gave Pete a bear hug.

**Name: Genie**  
><strong>Abilities: Semi-Phenomenal, Nearly Cosmic Powers<strong>

"There you go Goofy, something funny should happen now." Sora said.

"A bit too late." the knight lamented.

"Oh Al I've missed you! I saw all the sights of the world, but it just wasn't the same! I mean I like you and all, not like that, but what's important is that I'm back!"

"What?" Pete was confused. Sora tried to say something to Aladdin, but the street rat stopped him.

"I wanna see how long it takes."

"Al, what a large gut you have!" Genie pointed out Pete's belly. Then his head changed into a copy of Pete's. "_Why, all the better to enjoy the palace food with, Genie!_" His head changed back to normal. "Al you connoisseur you!"

"You hurt your what?" Pete asked. Then Genie caught sight of the real Aladdin out of his peripheral vision.

"… Oops." Genie teleported to Aladdin. "Al! Oh I've missed you! I saw all the sights of the world, but it just wasn't the same! I mean I like you and all, not like that, but what's important is that I'm back!" Then he became a blue version of Don Lafontaine. "_In a world, where one kind man is left alone without his genie friend. This summer-_"

"WAIT JUST A MINUTE!" Pete yelled. Genie changed back and everyone turned their attention to Pete. "I don't remember rubbin' this here lamp yet, so how come I already gots me a Genie? And more importantly, why ain't he actin' like the jerk he was before?"

"Well I _never_!" Genie was offended.

Sora cleared things up. "Oh no Pete, that's not Jafar. He's a different Genie, he just happened to show up at the same time."

Aladdin did not believe what Sora had just said. "You couldn't have just let him believe that he'd rubbed the lamp and then leave him with no reason to ever rub the lamp, tricking him into thinking that he freed Jafar when he really hadn't, could you?"

"… Oops."

"That's it! You get a buncha Heartless!" Pete slammed his fists down, summoning two large Heartless. The Volcanic Lord and Blizzard Lord. Then Pete ran away with the lamp.

"Uh-oh." Aladdin said. The party readied their weapons.

"Make some room!" Sora looked over to find Genie suddenly wearing a red vest and a turban and holding a Genie-themed Keyblade.

"… That reminds me! That new Drive we got from Merlin! Donald!"

Donald nodded and merged with Sora.

"_Give me strength!_"

**Sora - Wisdom Form**

Sora's clothes became blue, and he started sliding around on the ground uncontrollably.

"Aaah! I can't stop!" Sora yelled, then he quacked. Instead of attacking the Heartless, he just shot magic from his Keyblade at them.

"Blue's a nice color." Genie thought. He made his vest blue and started shooting lasers at the Volcanic Lord, reducing him to being a group of Fiery Globes, which Goofy started bashing with his shield.

"AAAAAAHHHH!" Sora was still having difficulty with Wisdom Form. He bumped into the Blizzard Lord and bounced off of the monster's fat, knocking him onto the ground. Since his feet were still sliding around though, now Sora was being dragged by his feet while lying on his back. "OH COME ON!"

Abu ran up to Sora and hopped on. He took a shoe off of Sora's foot and was sent flying with the shoe when it rocketed into the air, kicking Blizzard Lord in the face, reducing him to a group of Icy Cubes. However, Abu and the shoe were long gone afterward.

"Uhh…" Aladdin was watching Sora, seeing just how sad this new power of his was. "… You know what Sora, just leave this to Goofy, Genie, and I."

"Sounds good." Sora said, as he was now being dragged by the one foot that was still wearing a shoe. The boy's foot was leading him out of the palace area. Aladdin turned around and teamed up with Goofy and Genie to take out the Icy Cubes, winning the battle.

* * *

><p>A while after the battle, Goofy, Aladdin, Genie, and Iago were just sitting around the courtyard, waiting for something.<p>

"D'ya think they'll be back soon?" Goofy asked. Aladdin and Genie could only shrug.

"I'm just glad Iago got that lamp when no one was looking."

"That sounds too convenient, the readers will never buy that." Genie said, having the cosmic powers of fourth wall breaking. Then Sora, Donald, Abu, and one of Sora's shoes came flying in on a magic carpet.

**Name: Magic Carpet**  
><strong>Flying Skills: Top Notch<strong>

Sora and the others got off of Carpet. Genie floated over to his friend.

"Magic Carpet, you're here!" Genie exclaimed. "I thought we lost you after that time we ran into that one boy that you thought was Sora and that other chick I don't remember!"

Carpet tilted its upper tassels in confusion.

"Well I've got Valor Form down, but now my Wisdom Form needs a lot of work…"

Donald nodded in agreement.

"Sora!" Genie called out, so the boy looked over. "I'm gonna be a Summon now!"

"… Okay. Say Abu, can I have my shoe back?"

Abu looked up from staring at the insides of Sora's shoe. He pulled a red gem out and gave the footwear back to its owner.

"Abu, when did you get that?" Genie asked. Aladdin started scratching his head.

"Guess he picked it up wherever Carpet found them."

"Well he did all end up in the Cave of Wonders. That lion was not happy with us going into his open mouth while he slept." Then suddenly the Keyblade started reacting to the gem. "Speaking of sleep, time to unlock this hole!"

"Gawrsh Sora, what does sleep have to do with this?"

"Well in the new game coming out-" Genie was unheard though, because everyone was watching the fancy lightshow from Sora unlocking Agrabah's Keyhole.

"So Genie what do you mean by 'new game'?" Sora inquired.

The Genie was about to explain, but then perished the thought. "… You know what, you'll know soon enough."

**To be continued.**

* * *

><p>-"I've got a wife and three eggs" is my favorite of Iago's lines in Return of Jafar.<p>

-Goofy's nickname for the Gummi Ship is a reference to a Kingdom Hearts flash video.

-You get a cookie if you can figure out what Pete did to the merchant to get the lamp.


	9. This Is Christmas

**Chapter 8: This Is Christmas**

In the hinterlands near Halloween Town, a lanky skeleton was looking around. He was shadowed by a ghostly canine.

**Name: Jack Skellington**  
><strong>Least Favorite Store: Hot Topic<strong>

**Name: Zero**  
><strong>Favorite Food: Jack<strong>

Jack came across a tree with a door designed after a Christmas tree. He opened it up and fell inside.

"Whoa!" After falling into the portal, he found himself in a town full of Christmas decorations. There was a sign designating the place as, 'Christmas Town'.

"…What's this? _WHAT'S THIS_? There's color everywhere!"

* * *

><p>Sora, Donald, and Goofy made their entrance near the large, curly hill. Donald had changed their appearances so as to blend in better. Sora was a vampire, Donald was a mummy, and Goofy was Frankenstein's monster.<p>

"Okay Goofy, where on Earth are we now?" Sora asked.

"Well Sora I figger that Halloween Town ain't exactly on Earth."

"Uh-huh, sure."

Zero swooped down and barked, greeting the three visitors.

"Oh hi doggy." Sora said. The gang followed Zero until they reached the town square.

"Sora, Donald, and Goofy!" Jack greeted as he flew in on a sleigh led by skeletal reindeer. "Merry Christmas!"

Sora was confused. "Merry Christmas? But aren't you all about Halloween?"

"I'm glad you asked. You see Sora, I'm trying to turn off all those new fans I got at the Hot Topic ever since we got one around here."

"… Wha?" Sora's confusion remained.

"They just don't understand what I'm _really_ all about. In addition, I'm bored! Which means that I'm gonna do Christmas for Sandy Claws! I'm sure he could use a break. I've got to find him and get his blessing. Oh and Sally's working on something."

"Gawrsh, I just hope we don't run inta Pete again."

Donald started quacking about how Christmas should not be scary.

"I don't know, Donald. I kind of like it." considered Sora.

"… Ya got problems, Sora." Goofy told the Keyblade user.

_**HALLOWEEN TOWN**_

* * *

><p>Jack lead everyone into the laboratory of Dr. Finkelstein.<p>

**Name: Dr. Finkelstein**  
><strong>Father of The Year Ranking: 2100**

"Hello, doctor! Do you know where Sally is?" Jack asked.

"Shut up, Jack! I'm working on an experiment!" Dr. Finkelstein pointed over to the three kids in Halloween costumes messing with his robot. One was a devil, another was a witch, and the third was a skeleton.

**Names: Lock (devil), Shock (witch), Barrel (skeleton)**  
><strong>Pastime: Kidnapping<strong>

"You see my boy, I'm experimenting to see if I can make my own video game boss." Finkelstein was in fact referring to the robot.

"This thing's heavy!" Lock observed.

"Let's throw it!" suggested Shock.

"I like pudding." Barrel threw in his two cents. The kids threw the experiment's head, sending it through the window and outside. Finkelstein was enraged.

"How dare you!"

Sora and friends nodded to each other, and the former spoke up. "Uh, look. This gong show is fun and all, but didn't you say on the way here that Sally had something for you that you wanted us to see?"

"Oh yes!" the Pumpkin King remembered. "Sally, Sora and his friends are here! Could you please show them what you've been working on?"

A woman made of old body parts sewn together walked out. "Oh, you're all back."

**Name: Sally**  
><strong>Friendliness: Seams nice enough (… Get it? Seams? … I'm done.)<strong>

"Hey Sally, did you finish?"

"Huh? Oh… no. Jack, I've been meaning to tell you-"

"Oh it doesn't matter Sally, as long as it's ready by Christmas. Well everyone, I'm off to see Sandy Claws!" Jack announced as he skipped out of the house.

"Wait a minute… Sandy Claws…" Sora was thinking out loud. "… Santa Claus? … AHA! SANTA CLAUS! Oh boy! Donald, can we go see Santa Claus with Jack?"

Donald quacked.

"Thanks, you're a pal! Come on guys."

Jack walked back in. "Hey Sora, those monsters that showed up last time you came are back."

"The Heartless!" Sora, Donald, and Goofy realized at once.

"Don't worry Jack, we'll help ya!" said Goofy.

* * *

><p>Halloween-themed Heartless were attacking the mayor in the town square.<p>

**Name: Mayor of Halloween Town**  
><strong>Position: Elected Official<strong>

"Eeek! Jack, help! I'm an elected official, I can't do this!"

Jack ran up to the Heartless and attacked some of them with magic while Donald and Sora used magic of their own. Goofy just smashed one with his shield and called it a day.

* * *

><p>Lock, Shock, and Barrel were in their walking bathtub on their way to who-knows-where, when they ran into Maleficent.<p>

"Who are you?" Lock asked.

"I am the Mistress of All Evil. Trademark."

Shock pointed at her. "You're old! Oldy!"

"Oldy-oldy-oldy! Oldy-oldy-oldy!" the children all teased at once.

"Silence, you fools! Do you want something fun to do or not?" the evil fairy offered. Lock took a moment to consider this.

"… We're listening, Oldy."

"Do not continue to refer to me by such a title or I will have you mounted on my wall."

"Sorry about that, Oldy." Barrel apologized for Lock, not realizing that he just did the same thing. Shock smacked him in the back of the head.

"Don't call Oldy, 'Oldy'!"

"Sheesh, why's Oldy gotta be so sensitive?" Lock was annoyed.

"YOU FOOLS!" Maleficent yelled. "All of you cease talking at once!"

"Yes ma'am, Oldy!" the kids agreed. It was all Maleficent could do to not strangle them.

* * *

><p>Jack had led the party all the way to the door to Christmas Town.<p>

"In here is a magical place, the likes of which you have never seen!"

"I dunno, we're pretty familiar with Christmas." Goofy said.

"Yeah Jack, I think it's just you."

Jack was annoyed. "… Do you want to go in or not?"

"We'll be good." Sora and Goofy said at once, bowing. Donald bowed as well.

"The spooks of Halloween can get so tiresome year after year…" Jack started.

Sora spoke up. "I actually find it to be a pretty catchy background song."

"What?" the skeleton was confused.

"Never mind. Let's just go! I wanna see Santa!"

They all went into the door.

* * *

><p>On a hill in Christmas Town, an evergreen tree with a glowing pumpkin spit the party out and onto the snow. Sora and friends' costumes have changed. Sora was wearing a black version of the Santa getup, Donald looked like a snowman, and Goofy's costume was reminiscent of a reindeer. They drank the view in.<p>

"Whoa! This is awesome! I don't wanna leave!" Sora felt like a little boy again.

"Hey, you guys look different." Jack said, noticing the costume change in the others. Then Sora and Goofy themselves noticed.

"Huh? Hey Donald, what happened?"

Donald quacked an explanation as to how and why he changed their costumes. But no one commented any further on the matter and decided to head straight to Santa's house.

* * *

><p>As they got closer to Santa's pad, the party was met with a bunch of Christmas-themed Heartless.<p>

"What? Here too? Is nothing sacred? How dare they!" Sora was enraged.

"… Sora, I think yer lettin' Christmas get to yer head."

"No!" Jack said. "It's perfectly normal! Just look at me! I'm like that and I'm perfectly fi- What's this? What's this?" Jack went off to inspect a nearby tree, abandoning the party as they're about to fight off some Heartless.

"Donald, let's destroy them! _Give me strength_!" Sora tried to Drive with Donald, but there were two problems. Donald was unwilling, and Sora was in a terrible mood. These combined factors resulted in Anti-Form, which absorbed Goofy and Jack too.

The Heartless were helpless before the entirely black, vaguely Santa-esque figure with glowing eyes.

* * *

><p>"… What in the name of Commodore Norrington was that?" Jack asked, once everyone had turned back to normal and Anti Form Sora had quit terrorizing some elves.<p>

"It happens sometimes." Sora answered.

"Hmm…" Jack seemed to be getting an idea or two. Regardless, it was time to see Santa Claus. They all headed into his house.

* * *

><p>Jack kicked the door down, though in excitement and not malice. "Sandy, we're here!" At that point, Santa looked up from checking his Naughty and Nice List for the second time.<p>

"Hm?"

**Name: "Sandy Claws" (Santa Claus)**  
><strong>Cookies per Year Record: 1,9320,3902<strong>

"Ho! Visitors! I presume you're interested in knowing which side of the list you're on?"

"… Wait, you can just tell people that?" Sora asked. Santa shrugged.

"Oh boy! I'm Sora!"

"Let's see… Well you helped defeat the Dark Masters and Apocalymon. That was pretty nice of you."

Sora shook his head. "No, I'm a different Sora."

"Oh. What's your last name?"

Sora was stunned by this question. "Last… name? What's that?"

"Oh I've found you. Well you're pretty nice. Except you just now terrorized the town square."

"Wow!" Sora was awestruck. "You really can see everything!"

"Well to be fair, it was right outside my window. And you, good sir?"

Donald quacked his name and introduced Goofy. Santa checked his list.

"Hmmm… Well aside from a few temper issues, yes. You two have both been nice this year. You spent most of that year in a cryonic sleep, but you take what you can get."

"Hey Sandy, it's me! Jack! Your pal! Am I on that list?"

"Jack? Great…" Santa rested his head in his left palm. "What is it now?"

Then a loud crash was heard in the workshop, and Santa went to investigate. Sora, Donald, and Goofy all turned to Jack.

"What was 'what is it now" supposed to mean?" the Keyblade wielder inquired.

"Oh… nothing."

* * *

><p>In the factory, Maleficent was with the three kids.<p>

"So what do we do now, Oldy?" Lock asked of the evil fairy.

"… I believe you know."

"Ho! Who's there?"

"What did he just call me?" asked Maleficent.

"Cheezit!" Barrel yelled. The kids all ran away by jumping through the window, and Maleficent vanished. Santa was annoyed.

"Don't worry Mr. Claus sir, I'll redeem myself and avenge your… window." Sora reassured the jolly figure.

"Thank you, Sora. I don't have time for them, Christmas is almost here."

Jack perked up. "Say Sandy that reminds me-"

"Not now, Jack."

* * *

><p>On the curly hill, Maleficent was with the kids again.<p>

"That was a close one, Oldy!" Shock told Maleficent. The Mistress of All Evil sighed.

"Do my words fall on deaf ears? Well as long as the work is done, I suppose I can live with an embarrassing moniker for a short time. I wanted to make Santa Claus a Heartless, but now that I know that Sora's here, I'm going to get my revenge. Also I never really cared for Donald Duck. Can't understand a word he says."

"That reminds me of Oogie Boogie!" Barrel graced the others with what he was thinking, because there was no chance that they could have lived without such information.

"Oogie Boogie, hm?" Maleficent was intrigued. "I suppose things would be much more… interesting, were he to return to the realm of the living. Or undead. Whichever one that this freakish town considers itself to be."

Readying for the unholy rebirth of Oogie Boogie, Maleficent gained a green aura. Before the kids new it, the walking, talking bag of bugs was back.

**Name: Oogie Boogie**  
><strong>Evil?: Tim Burton doesn't think so.<strong>

"Ooohoohahaha! The Oogie Boogieman is back! … Where are my dice? Hey! You! Pointy lady! Gimme mah dice!"

"No Oogie. Back when you were teaming up with us, your gambling cost us a small fortune in munny."

"You're jokin'! You're jokin'! Why would I team up with some nutcase, spiky ***ch like you? MY DICE, PLEASE!"

"Hmm. It appears that while I have restored his body, his memory has not been retained. Hopefully he can still thwart Jack Skellington and Sora. And Donald. … And Goofy too, I guess. It'd be kind of weird to just leave him out."

"You betcha, Oldy!" Lock said. "I never liked that Goofy guy!"

"JACK! SORA! DONALD! GOOFY! MUST KILL!" Oogie roared.

"Ah, so you remember _them_ at least."

"… By the way, who are those people?" Oogie Boogie was getting on Maleficent's nerves.

"Well one time they beat you up, then you became your house! And then we started throwing pumpkin grenades at this guy that reminded us of Sora because we were bored!" Shock told her master.

"And I ate the scarecrow made to look like him!" Barrel continued to be generous with his pointless knowledge.

Oogie was wrapped up in this tale. "That sounds exciting! Nap time! Zzzzz…" Oogie fell asleep.

"I've done it. I've found a minion who disappoints me more than Pete. You three, I shall leave you a Heartless to help out once Sora inevitably finds you. Mr. Oogie Boogie and I will be busy in Christmas Town."

Maleficent teleported herself and Oogie away, leaving behind the Prison Keeper Heartless.

"Thanks, Oldy!" the kids called out. At that time, Sora and the others arrived.

"Got ya!" Goofy said.

"Lock, Shock, Barrel, you've got some explaining to do!" the Pumpkin King began to scold them. The kids hopped into the cage at the bottom of the Heartless. Then the Heartless ate Lock.

"Oh that's just weird." commented Jack. The Prison Keeper began to float around, shooting fire spells at the party.

Jack and Donald tried to use Ice on the monster while Sora and Goofy went for physical force. The Heartless then spit Lock out and put him back into the cage before eating Shock, gaining the cold elemental for itself.

"Donald, let's try to Drive again, I think I've got it! _Light_!"

Sora became Wisdom Sora again, though in the theme of Halloween Town. He started sliding around and shooting magic of no particular elemental affiliation at the Prison Keeper.

"Hey, stop it!" Lock and Barrel yelled. Then the Prison Keeper put Shock back into the cage and ate Barrel. The boss tried hitting the party with Thunder, but Sora kept slide-weaving out of harm's way.

"Too zetta slow, Barrel!" Sora slid up onto the hill and jumped off of the highest point, striking the Prison Keeper and taking it down for good. "Booyaka!"

The Heartless blew up, and the three kids ran away. Lock started shouting. "That was fun! I hope Mr. Oogie's done with his nap!"

Jack's jaw dropped. "Oogie? Oogie Boogie? Oh no."

* * *

><p>Santa was sojourning through the hinterlands. "I say, how did I ever end up here?"<p>

"Mr. Sandy Claws, please go home." Sally warned him. "Christmas is in danger! Just ignore Jack, please!"

Maleficent and Oogie were eavesdropping on them from behind a tree.

"There, Oogie. The red one is the one you must kidnap."

"Got it. … What do I do?"

"You do the best that you can. And then while you're out destroying Christmas Town, I'll turn Santa Claus into Santa Heartless! AHAHAHAHAHAHA!"

Oogie was not impressed. "… S-Seriously? That's your plan? Is that it?"

"Silence, you fool!" demanded the witch.

"Whatever you say, Oldy."

"I hate you, Oogie Boogie. I really, really do."

* * *

><p>During a rousing round of tiddlywinks after Sora returning to normal, the boy, Donald, Goofy, and Jack noticed that Sally was approaching them.<p>

"Jack, it's terrible! Oogie Boogie has kidnapped Sandy Claws!"

"No! Not Santa!" Sora was horrified. "I knew we should've reported to him right away! I'm getting coal for sure!"

"We must hurry!" Jack declared.

* * *

><p>In Santa's factory, Oogie was running around and redecorating the place. Santa was tied down to a conveyor belt. As Maleficent was finally ready to turn him into a Heartless, she was interrupted when Oogie accidentally knocked her over.<p>

"You fool!" She cried. "Watch where you're going!"

Oogie had already started hammering a superfluous board to the wall. He turned around and rolled his openings that resembled eyes.

"Sheesh will you quit your moaning? Just get on out of here, I don't need any old ladies getting in my way!"

"Insolent ingrate. I am the one who gave you life once more!"

"I don't remember."

Maleficent was stunned. "… You know what? Fine. You are the most annoying person I've ever met. And I spend all day with ****ing Pete! That's how bad _you_ are, Oogie Boogie! My numbers have dwindled, but they can do well without you! Good day, sir!" Maleficent vanished in green fire. Oogie looked down to Santa.

"I thought she'd never leave. Who was she, anyway? Friend of yours?" the living sack asked. Santa squinted his eyes.

"Not sure if trolling, or just stupid." Saint Nick said.

Sora, Donald, Goofy, Jack, and Sally then burst into the factory.

"Get your hands off Santa!" yelled Sora.

"I'M EVIL! BWAAA! Time for my revenge, Jack Skellington! And… Jack Skellington's buddies!" Oogie turned to face Santa on the conveyer belt. "Sorry mailman, but I'll have to accept my mail another time." Forgetting who Santa was entirely, Oogie let him go free. The party all hopped onto the conveyor belt, to Oogie's surprise.

"Hey back off!" He ran into the opening at the end of the middle conveyor belt and appeared on some platform above all three of them. "Time for an encounter of epic proportions!"

He activated the belts, but seemed to have not known how to operate the warping mechanic of the three openings.

"Ugh…" Oogie was annoyed.

"Fellers, there are spikes behind us!" Goofy warned. Everyone started running in place to keep from being conveyed to their dooms.

"Nice view from up here! That's right, away you go!" Oogie screamed. He started throwing presents at them. "Hope you like the Oogie gifts I picked out for you!"

Donald started thinking real quick and then quacked to everyone else. Sora smiled.

"Good idea, Donald! Now come on, let's save Christmas!"

The party continued to dodge presents, until Sora caught one and opened it. "An alarm clock? Lame!" He threw the clock at Oogie.

"OOF!"

"Donald and me got this bowlin' ball last year!" Donald and Goofy threw their present at Oogie.

"GAAAH!"

"These shoes do _not_ go with my outfit at all!" Jack threw some high-heel shoes at the Oogie Boogieman.

"QUIT IT! NOOOOOOOO!" From the weight of Oogie and all the presents thrown back at him, the platform he was on fell.

"Jack!" Sora called. The Pumpkin King nodded.

"Prepare to scream!" He grabbed Sora and spun him around, damaging Oogie. Then Jack unleashed some spirits on Oogie before getting Sora back and tossing him into the air. The boy landed, complete with fireworks to hit Oogie.

"Ta-da!" Jack and Sora said at once.

"Party crashers!" Oogie hurried into one of the openings and when he was up there, he pressed a button to make the belts go even faster.

Unfortunately for Oogie, his short-term memory had allowed him to forget that the platform was gone. He fell onto the belt. The others jumped over Oogie and he got carried right into the spikes, ending the battle. At this time, Sally had reached the controls and turned the belts off.

"That's what he gets for treating Christmas and my friends so shamefully. … A second time." Jack said.

"Y'know Jack, I really think he was just in his own world, to be honest. Well at any rate…" Sora started, "I'd say Christmas is in the clear."

Oogie's bag skin was thrashed and caught in the spikes, with only a few of the bugs surviving and crawling away. One bug- which could be identified as the leader- met its end via Donald Duck's foot.

"Okay, starting now." Sora amended his previous statement.

* * *

><p>In Christmas Town, the party was all gathered together.<p>

"Well now that the minor inconvenience of my arch nemesis's inexplicable resurrection and subsequent demise has been taken care of, it's back to taking over Christmas!"

Donald quacked to Jack, and Goofy nodded.

"Yeah Jack, maybe ya don't need to be doin' that, ahyuck."

Sally walked out. "Jack that reminds me, here's your suit."

"Splendid!" Jack took the clothes and spun around real fast. When he was done, the Pumpkin King had his own Santa getup, complete with a fake beard. "Not only do I look like Sandy Claws, but now I match your guys' costume change!"

Then Santa made an appearance. "Jack you did good, but please stick to what you know. I mean, think about it Jack, Halloween is what you do best. Christmas is what I do best. We all have our roles to play."

"You're right! If Halloween has become too routine, all I have to do is think of something new, that will really make them scream!"

"If you say so, Dr. Seuss." Santa's parting words as he headed back into his house.

"Of what does he speak? Can I find out before next week?" Jack asked.

"Jack stop, you're still rhyming."

"I fear that I am trapped! Sora, my old speaking ways have been scrapped!" Jack started glowing. "What's this? Something is amiss!"

Sora's Keyblade and Jack were reacting to one-another. "Wow. Usually it's an inanimate object, never one of the people we meet."

Using his Keyblade and Jack, Sora unlocked the Keyhole for both Halloween Town and Christmas Town.

"… That was weird." Jack said.

"I know, Jack. I know."

Santa came back outside. "That reminds me. Sora, don't you have a friend who told you that I don't exist?"

"Yeah."

"… Well he's wrong. … Just so you know." Santa said, smirking.

"Cool! In his face!" Sora started running around, happily. "I was right for once and he was wrong! Hahaha! This is the greatest Christmas ever!"

Observant, Santa stated something. "That boy is unlike many others at his age. But that's probably what I've always liked best about him."

Santa, Jack, and Sally smiled as they parted ways with their visiting friends.

**To be continued.**

* * *

><p>-Oogie's line before the battle is a reference to the song that plays during his fight. One of my favorite songs in the game.<p> 


	10. How Simba Got His Groove Back

**Chapter 9: How Simba Got His Groove Back**

A yellow-brownish lion cub had been excitedly looking around a barren valley.

"I wonder what the surprise could be…" he uttered to himself.

**Name: Simba (cub)**  
><strong>Kinghood Impatience: 910**

The cub then noticed that a stampede of wildebeests was headed right for him. With all of his leg power, Simba was running for his life, but the animals did not need much effort to get him in a bind. Luckily, an adult lion was there to save its young and set him down somewhere safe.

**Name: Mufasa**  
><strong>Awesomeness: James Earl Jones10**

Unfortunately, Mufasa's awesomeness was no match for the wildebeest stampede. He had tried to climb up a cliff to safety, but a brown lion with a black mane and a scar over his left eye threw him down to his death.

* * *

><p>"NOOO!" Simba woke up from his flashback-nightmare. He was an adult lion himself, now. He was lying in an oasis.<p>

**Name: Simba**  
><strong>Kinghood Impatience: 010**

The lion realized that he had merely been asleep, and was relieved that he had not been reliving that memory for real. He glanced over to the others who were sleeping nearby. A meerkat and warthog.

**Name: Timon (meerkat), Pumbaa (warthog)**  
><strong>Known Relatives: One mom and uncle (Timon), unknown (Pumbaa)<strong>

* * *

><p><strong><em>PRIDE LANDS<em>**

Sora, Donald, and Goofy landed in the Pride Lands, their forms had changed again. Sora had become a brown lion cub with some of his hair left, his necklace, and he held his Keyblade in his mouth.

"Cool!" Sora was awed, and spoke with his weapon in his mouth.

Donald was still a bird, though now he could fly, he was much smaller, and he was not anthropomorphic. As another detail, he wore is original sailor hat and held his stave in his talons. Goofy was a turtle. His head remained the same, but he had a yellow shell, and his feet were black. The shield rested atop the shell.

"Now we're in Africa!" Goofy announced. "An' I get t' be a turtle again, just like in Atlantica on our last adventure! Ahyuck!"

"Wait… so where'd our clothes go?" Sora had removed the Keyblade from his mouth to ask the awkward question. This unwanted hesitation was put to an end when they heard a psychotic giggle.

"Huhuhuhuhuh!"

Sora and friends looked to find themselves surrounded by hyenas. Goofy was face to face with a wicked hyena growing a tuft of hair. Sora was staring down a fairly normal hyena. Donald was presented with a hyena with a mad look in its eyes and a tongue that perpetually dangled from his maw.

**Names: Shenzi, Banzai, Ed**  
><strong>Favorite State of Matter: Gas (laughing gas)<strong>

"Donald, Goofy, I don't like the way they're looking at us…" Donald and Goofy gulped. "Uh, we're, uh, we're leaving now."

"Oh really? Because I think you three are just what we needed, heh." Shenzi chuckled.

Banzai let a laugh out, too. "Yeah, heh-heh, we've been looking for a while now."

"HAHAHAHAHAA!"

"Well gawrsh fellers, what can we help y'all with?"

"We're starving!" Banzai told them.

"So… you want us to find you some food?" Sora was confused, but Shenzi shook her head.

"No, we want you to sit still so we can eat you." And without missing a beat, the three hyenas lunged at the party.

Goofy hid in his shell- it was his only defense. Donald managed to fly out of reach, but Sora seemed to be having trouble running on four legs. Just as Banzai was about to enjoy a Hero Sandwich that was fuzzier than most, a lion's roar echoed through the area. Annoyed, the hyenas slinked away.

"Heh-heh-heh…" Ed laughed, to Banzai's annoyance.

"It's not funny, Ed."

As the hyenas left, Sora and the others regained their focus.

"That was close! Man, I'm not used to this. How do I walk around as an animal?"

"Well," Goofy started, "First ya need t' keep yer balance."

Sora did so.

"Then practice stomping up and down with your different feet."

The cub practiced.

"Now ya need to acquire a taste for Freeform Jazz."

Sora, Donald, and Goofy stared intensely while listening to the jazz music.

"And now yer ready, ahyuck!"

* * *

><p>Out in the elephant graveyard, the gang noticed a lioness outmaneuvering some fearsome, animalistic Heartless.<p>

**Name: Nala**  
><strong>Disney Princess?: No<strong>

"Heartless!" Sora shrieked. He, Donald, and Goofy leaped into action, striking down the Heartless.

It was easiest for Donald, firing spells. Goofy threw himself around like other turtles would, turtles who would wear green shoes, sometimes red shoes. Sora had the most difficulty, as he wielded the Keyblade in his jaw. He'd have to get his face right up there in the enemy's. Luckily his newfound appreciation for Freeform Jazz smoothed things over.

"Thank you. My name is Nala." greeted the lioness. "Though I am upset that they disappeared. The pride is close to starvation…"

"Oh those weren't normal animals." Sora said. "They're actually monsters. Say have you seen anyone named Riku?"

Nala shook her head, but Sora persisted.

"What about anyone with a pretentious X somewhere in the middle of their name?" Nala's answer was unchanged. "Anyone named Pete?"

This one sparked Nala's interest. "Well there was this lion that Scar's been palling around with lately… Scar is the king of Pride Rock, but he and the hyenas are running it into the ground. There's no food left." Something then occurred to her. "Now that I think about it, these monsters only started appearing after Pete did."

"Group huddle!" Sora, Donald, and Goofy all went off to the side to discuss things. "Donald, what do you think?"

Despite not being a duck, Donald's head was still that of his original form. So he proceeded to quack. The quacks regarded the fact that they may have to challenge the king of Pride Rock, Scar.

"But Donald, it's not like we can stick around and be their new kings, we gotta unlock the Keyhole! And Sora's a bit young fer this." Goofy stated.

"Hey!"

Donald quacked again, and the new information made Sora and Goofy raise their eyebrows.

"I like it…" Sora nodded. "I like it a lot." He turned around. "Nala, aren't there any other lions who could challenge Scar?"

"I'm afraid not…"

* * *

><p>At Pride Rock, the lionesses looked on with hope as Nala introduced a mandrill to the newcomers. This mandrill had a blue bottom and carried a stick.<p>

**Name: Rafiki**  
><strong>Mission in Life: Lion King version of Yoda<strong>

After inspecting Sora, Rafiki shook his head and left, much to the disappointment of every lioness.

"It appears that you aren't fit to be the next king." Nala explained, much to Sora's disappointment. Then Ed's haunting laugh reacquainted itself with Sora's ears. The party found themselves face to face with the hyenas once more. Shenzi laughed.

"Well if it ain't our good friends; Breakfast, Lunch, and Dinner."

"I think we're gonna get along _reeeeeeal_ good, Shenzi." Banzai licked his lips.

The voice known as Scar roared again. Sora and friends looked to find Scar and a fat lion on Pride Rock. They each made their way down. The fat lion was Pete. Scar was the black and brown one who killed Mufasa in Simba's dream.

**Name: Scar**  
><strong>Inspiration: The Boy Scouts<strong>

"Well, fresh meat. It must be my birthday. Ladies, it's time to hunt."

"They're not food, Scar!" Nala yelled, but Scar rolled his eyes.

"Well then, the hyenas shall get them." Scar said.

Shenzi was delighted. "Don't mind if we do." Pete was confused.

"But Scar, hyenas only eat animals dat other animals killed, don't they?" Scar gave his associate a look of disapproval, shame, and annoyance.

"Shut up, Pete."

Ed laughed, but Banzai shook his head. "No way Ed, I get the bird! You can have the turtle." Ed's eyes widened and he shook his head rapidly, disapproving of this arrangement. "Come on Ed, Shenzi wants the lion, and there's no way I'm saying no to- Shenzi?" Banzai noticed that Shenzi was lying on her back, with a mark on her face from getting hit by the Keyblade.

"You morons, they're getting away!" Scar cried out.

* * *

><p>"I'm sad." Simba announced. Timon and Pumbaa were there with him in the oasis.<p>

"Hakuna Matata!" the friends reminded Simba.

Timon spoke individually. "The past is behind you, remember?"

"Yeah come on, I found some grubs with your name on it! … Okay I have a confession to make… I had the grubs for a snack earlier. I only meant to eat a few, but I couldn't help myself!"

"I dunno guys, I think I should just take some time out." Simba went over to sort out his thoughts, when Timon and Pumbaa started reminiscing.

"He's grown up so fast, Pumbaa! Who knew that one musical sequence could do that?"

"I think he's been eating all the grubs that have the right status gains, whereas we've only eaten the ones that prevent us from aging."

* * *

><p>"Simba's alive." Rafiki said to himself.<p>

* * *

><p>Nala was walking Sora, Donald, and Goofy along the path to the oasis.<p>

"So when Mufasa died, Scar took over. He also told us that Simba died."

"Well gawrsh, we saw Simba a year ago, and he was a grown-up lion! I think he's alive."

"Oh dat's because he is, mon!"

Everyone turned to find Rafiki there.

* * *

><p>In the oasis at last, Sora, Donald, and Goofy found Simba facing some Heartless. His roar drove all of them away.<p>

"Simba!" Sora called out. The lion looked over and got ready to pounce. "No wait, it's me! Sora! And Donald and Goofy!"

It dawned on Simba that these are the friends he had made a year ago, in new form. "Oh! Sora! … You look different."

"I get that a lot, recently."

"SIMBA, HELP!" Timon screamed. The adult lion was alarmed.

"Timon! Pumbaa! Hang on!" he ran off to go tend to his friends, and Sora's party decided to follow along.

* * *

><p>As it turned out, Nala was preying on Timon and Pumbaa (mainly Pumbaa).<p>

"Really Nala? We're trying to find Simba- he's this guy by the way- and you're taking a snack break?" Sora was not amused.

"Nala?" asked Simba.

"Simba?" Nala asked. Simba turned to his friends.

"Sora, Donald, Goofy! Nala!"

"Nala?" Timon and Pumbaa asked.

"Nala." Sora nodded.

"Nala; Timon, Pumbaa." Simba introduced.

"Simba…" Timon didn't like this.

"Timon." Pumbaa thought the meerkat was a worrywart.

"You're alive!" Nala broke the chain.

"I am! … Did you think I wasn't?"

"Well you kind of ditched Pride Rock." Sora answered. Simba's mood dropped once more.

"Oh yeah… _that_."

"But wait," started Nala, "this means you can be the king now!"

"And now that there Scar an' those nutty hyenas will be run outta town, ahyuck!"

"We'll need a moment." Simba decided.

* * *

><p>The two old lion friends were talking with each other.<p>

"Simba, you need to come back."

"Uhh… no. I can't. Hakuna Matata."

"Hakuna ma-what-a?"

"It means, 'no worries'. It's a problem-free philosophy that I've learned out here."

"But… the Circle of Life, Simba! It moves us all! And now someone has to move Scar off the throne!"

"I'm sorry, but I don't think I'll ever be prepared to come back. My teeth and ambitions are not bared."

"But… you just couldn't wait to be king…"

"I'm sorry Nala, but I can't feel the love tonight."

"This is the stupidest conversation I've had." Nala lamented.

She was wrong.

* * *

><p>"Maybe baby." Sora said.<p>

"Maybe baby." joined Goofy.

"Maybe baby." Timon.

"Maybe baby." then Pumbaa.

"Maybe baby." Sora repeated himself. This went on for a while.

* * *

><p>After learning the magic of 'Hakuna Matata' (or Maybe Baby), Sora's trio and Simba's other friends came back to the oasis to find Nala leaving.<p>

"Simba, what's up?" Timon asked.

"You should call him, 'Your Majesty', Timon."

"No… I'm no king. He's dead. He's dead and it's all my fault. Facing Scar won't change that."

* * *

><p><em>"Simba, I am your father." Mufasa said to his son, watching the stars in a meadow.<em>

_"Dad, did you say that just because you have the same voice as that other guy?"_

_"Uhh… NO! No, not at all. I have a point with this. And that point is… uh… I am your father, the king. And those stars up there, they're kings of the past. Kings before my time. And a firefly. At all times I have their wisdom at my disposal, and you will too. Remember that."_

_"Oh. Okay."_

_"(Phew. That was close.)"_

* * *

><p>That night, Simba was looking for answers. Timon and Pumbaa let Sora, Donald, and Goofy bunk with them, but Simba was on the ledge.<p>

"What am I supposed to do?"

_Simba… you must face your destiny and challenge Scar. He has taken your place in the Circle of Life and corrupted it. Remember who you are…_

Simba wasn't so sure, though. What he was sure of, however, was that all his friends were eavesdropping. "I'm sure all of you have something to say."

Sora, Donald, Goofy, Timon, and Pumbaa came out of hiding.

"Well… Donald, Goofy, and I think you should do what your heart tells you."

"It's telling me to go to Pride Rock."

The party's eyes all lit up, including Pumbaa's.

"Oh Timon, our little boy was a king all along!"

"Pics or it didn't happen." Timon was not impressed. "… Kidding! Let's go kick some grass!"

* * *

><p>Simba, Sora, Donald, Goofy, Nala, Timon, and Pumbaa were in the middle of the savannah, though a bit closer to the oasis's side.<p>

"What a dump. How long until we reach these Pride Lands of yours, Simba?" Timon asked.

"We're in them." answered Nala.

Timon felt a bit embarrassed. "Ah."

"Gawrsh Simba, do ya think we can beat 'em?"

"Don't worry Goofy we were the star players of the Chinese Imperial Army! What are a bunch of hyenas and Heartless?"

"It is time." Rafiki announced, startling everyone else.

"Rafiki, have you been there the whole time?" Sora asked.

"Yah pretty much."

Simba felt confident. "Let's go."

* * *

><p>Pride Rock, early morning. Scar was basking in his own arrogance, when he noticed Simba right in front of him.<p>

"Whoa! Simba! You startled me, there. Hey wait, you're alive! I wasn't prepared…"

"Scar, everyone's been telling me that you've been ruining the Pride Lands. And Zazu's gone, but more importantly, the Pride Lands!"

"Uh, well Simba, it's easy… Uh, Zazu and I had an arrangement-"

Simba stepped forward. "Stand down."

"Or what, you'll kill me just like you did Mufasa?"

Timon and Pumbaa's jaws dropped. Nala and the other more serious people could not believe their ears.

"Simba… you didn't…" Nala was concerned.

"The past is behind me, Scar."

"And so is Mufasa's memorial, I'd suggest you pay your respects on your way out." Scar started circling around Simba. "However… if you'd rather another choice… JOIN HIM!" Scar lunged at Simba, knocking him to the edge. The heroic lion was close to falling off, and Scar planted his paws firmly down on Simba's. "By the way, you didn't do it. It was me. I'm the one who killed Mufasa."

**_!_**

Simba's rage awakened, and he jumped back up and overpowered Scar. "Murderer! Tell them!"

"Oh we heard. He kinda forgot to whisper it…" Sora made it known that everyone heard Scar's confession, including the other lionesses.

"That Scar fella is surly. I don't care for him much." Goofy gave a critique of the false lion king.

"Huhuhuhuhuh!" Ed cackled. The hyenas ran out of the cave on Pride Rock and tackled Simba, giving Scar a chance to hurry into the cave. Simba shook them off and went after Scar.

"Pumbaa, now!"

"Right!"

Timon mounted Pumbaa and the two charged into the hyenas, knocking all of them down. While this took the carnivores' attention from Simba, it was now on the two of them.

"Shall we run for our lives?" Pumbaa asked.

"Oh yes, let's. AAAAHH!"

"AAAHH!" Pumbaa screamed alongside Timon as he carried him into the cave.

"Come on, we're missing out on the action!" Sora hurried to save the two from the hyenas. Goofy and Donald seemed put off by that statement, but followed him into the cave nonetheless.

* * *

><p>"Can't we be friends?"<p>

"NOOO!"

Timon and Pumbaa were being chased around the den, pleading for their lives. Shenzi took a leap toward the warthog carrying his friend, but got hit with Thunder. Courtesy of Sora.

"Oh you did not just do that." Shenzi said. She and Sora started fighting each other, but the other two hyenas were still focused intently on Timon and Pumbaa. Banzai was close enough to Pumbaa to start nipping at his tail, but Goofy tackled him, knocking him down.

"Outta my way!" the hyena started trying to eat Goofy, but the knight hid in his shell.

"Ahyuck! Can't get me now!"

Banzai growled, and noticed Donald flying right at him. As the hyena leaped to take a bite, Donald hit him with Thunder in a manner similar to how Sora did it on Shenzi.

"Aaah!"

Goofy came out of his shell and tackled Banzai again, even harder.

"Okay, you win…" were Banzai's last words before fainting.

"GUYS!" shouted Timon. Donald and Goofy noticed that Ed was still hot on Pumbaa's tracks.

"Hahahahahaha!" He kept laughing the whole time, taking breaks to snap at Pumbaa's tail. In the meanwhile, Sora was still dodging at Shenzi's paw swipes while getting Keyblade attacks in.

"Hold still you little brat- WHOA!" In their mad dash, Timon and Pumbaa knocked Shenzi over. Just as she tried to get up, Ed mindlessly tripped over her. He almost got a bite of Pumbaa, but somehow ended up staying in place and nibbling on his leg. "Watch where you're going, you idiot!"

Shenzi got back up, but Sora hit her with one last attack, wounding her. Ed realized that he hadn't gotten Pumbaa, and was about to start again, when Sora, Donald, and Goofy triple-teamed him.

"Heh-heh-heh… oooh…" Ed fell over, but then Shenzi got back up.

"Fine, we're done. Come on guys, let's just let Scar mess them up." Shenzi ran out of the cave, followed by Ed. Then Banzai woke up.

"Huh, wha? Hey! Wait for me!"

He left, much to Timon and Pumbaa's relief. The two friends were ready to thank Sora's gang, but the three had already left.

"Come on, we have to see how Simba's doing!" Sora's voice echoed through the cave.

* * *

><p>At the peak, Sora, Donald, and Goofy were watching Simba and Scar. Donald wanted to help, but Sora reminded him that this was too important to Simba. Uncle and nephew clashed, but eventually Simba came out victorious. He kicked Scar over the edge.<p>

"_LIQUIIIIIIIIIIIID_!" Scar yelled as he fell to his death. Apparently he had gone delusional.

"Hooray!" Sora, Donald, and Goofy cheered. Simba turned around.

"Were you there the whole time?"

"Nah Simba, we just got here." Goofy reassured him. "We beat the hyenas, and now that ya beat Scar, everything's hunky-dory!"

"Nope!" Pete said. Everyone turned around and saw the fat lion Pete. "We've only just begun! You're about to have an encounter with da new and improved Scar! Lookit."

Everyone turned around and noticed that Scar had climbed back up to the top. All that looked different about him was a sinister glow.

"Dat lion is so evil and monstrous, he went and got turned into a Heartless! Bwahaha!" Pete waddled away, content with himself.

The skies darkened, the peak of Pride Rock looked hollow, as if there was an elephant fossil inside.

"_Now_ we can help." Sora said.

"My anger has grown for far too long! I am the king!" Scar's Heartless leaped at Simba to kill him, but Donald hit him with some spells to distract him. He hardly flinched. Scar grabbed Goofy and threw him at Donald.

"Ya-haha-hooie!"

"WAAAAK!"

They collided, knocking each other out. This left Sora and Simba to battle the threat.

"Together!" they announced and started roaring together, which somehow hurt Scar. They double-teamed him with some spin attacks, using their claws.

"Simba!"

"I'm here!"

They roared one more time, and that knocked Scar on his back. Sora smacked him with the Keyblade a few times, but the Heartless got back up and ignored him, going after Simba.

"This time you'll burn!" His claws caught on fire and he leaped at Simba again. Simba knocked him away with a mighty claw slash, and Sora jumped up and hit him one last time.

"Sim…ba…" Scar fell over and disappeared like the Pureblood Heartless he had reduced himself to.

* * *

><p>Things had begun to return to normal. Everyone watched as Simba took his place at Pride Rock. He walked to the edge and roared. As Simba was beginning to truly take his place in the Circle of Life, Sora's Keyblade started reacting.<p>

"Oh! We've found the Keyhole!"

"Gawrsh Sora, what's it reacting to?"

"… Nothing. That's just weird."

Sora's Keyblade unlocked the Keyhole for the Pride Lands without any assistance.

"And what was that all about?" Timon asked.

"Oh we have to go now. We'll be back to visit."

Pumbaa took a long pause. "… Maybe baby."

"Maybe baby." Goofy did it.

"Maybe baby." Sora.

"Maybe baby." Then Timon.

"Maybe baby." Rafiki randomly joined.

"Maybe baby." Simba spoke.

"Maybe baby." Nala.

Each lioness started saying 'maybe baby' at random, ending with Sora:

"Maybe baby."

**To be continued.**

* * *

><p>-Find the Christmas Story reference for bonus points.<p>

-Scar's dying words before coming back for Round 2 was a reference to another role that Simba's dub actor did.

-The hyenas are probably among my favorite Disney characters, and Lion King is one of my favorite Disney films, so this chapter was one of the ones I enjoyed writing more.

-Another reference to The Encounter.


	11. The Moon Rises

**Chapter 10: The Moon Rises**

There once was a big, dark city. The streets were empty and the lights in the buildings were shining. It was raining. Through the streets of the city, a bright yellow dog was puttering around.

**Name: Pluto**  
><strong>Bones Buried: 998<strong>

Pluto noticed Axel walking into a portal nearby, but was too distracted. What had taken Pluto's attention was the whistle of someone else. Someone else with a portal of their own.

* * *

><p>Back home on Destiny Islands, Kairi was sitting around and waiting for Sora to come home.<p>

"I miss Sora."

"I miss Roxas."

The girl looked over to find Axel finishing a sand castle.

"What?" the Nobody asked. He noticed his sand castle and got nervous. "Uhhh, BURN!" Axel lit his creation ablaze and quickly stood up. "Uhhh, that's why I built it. Honest. Don't judge me."

"Who are you?"

"(_Huh… that face… something familiar about it. Oh well. If it was important, I'd have remembered._) Anyway, we have something in common. You and I. Myself and yourself. Us. We. Axel and Kairi. … Hmm… are there any other ways I can say that?"

As Axel started thinking to himself, Kairi noticed that Pluto was waiting for her in a portal nearby. Trusting the smiling dog over the mad man trying to count alternative ways of putting words, she followed Pluto into the portal.

"… Me and my immediate acquaintance of close proximity. Hey!" Axel had noticed that Kairi left him alone.

* * *

><p>"I think we lost him." Kairi told Pluto.<p>

"Rarf!"

"Hey you should totally go into that light portal over there." said a cloaked figure who sounded like Ansem.

"Who are you?"

The cloaked figure was caught off guard. "UHH! Well I'm definitely not anyone you might know from the past. Toodles!"

He pushed her into the portal, with Pluto following her.

* * *

><p>Kairi woke up in an alley somewhere. "My head… ow…"<p>

"Oh. You're up." Hayner noticed.

Olette walked over. "Are you okay?"

Pence's voice was heard from elsewhere, though nearby. "Guys, this dog's trying to eat my ice cream."

* * *

><p>Sora, Donald, and Goofy found themselves once again on the lazy streets of Twilight Town.<p>

"… Why are we here?" Sora asked.

"Ahyuck, well we ran outta worlds to visit, so why not go back to the first 'un?"

Sora nodded. "I'm glad I thought of it."

Vivi ran past the trio, screaming in panic. "AAAH! White monsters! Sandlot! Seifer! The moon's power!"

Donald looked over to Sora, and the boy nodded.

* * *

><p>In the sandlot, a bunch of Dusks were giving Seifer, Rai, and Fuu a hard time. The fat Struggle announcer was giddy, but that wasn't important.<p>

"Ow. I'm too awesome for this! What gives?" Seifer complained. Sora and friends hurried onto the scene.

"What's up, honey bunch?" Sora asked. Seifer pointed at all the Nobodies. "Oh yeah, those things. Haven't heard from them in a while. Give me strength!"

Sora merged with Goofy to become Valor Sora. By this point, he'd finally gotten a hold of this power, and retained most of his personality, without letting Goofy take over. With this power, Sora unloaded on the Nobodies. After a few rounds though, larger Nobodies wielding claymores arrived.

Donald quacked.

"I don't know Donald, but these guys seem-" he was cut off by a claymore to the face, knocking him into a building. "Ow."

Thankfully, Valor Form made Sora more invulnerable, in addition to his strength. With the help of Reaction Commands, he took the claymore from the Nobody and smacked it around with its own weapon. When the beast was no more, Sora threw the weapon at the remaining Berserker, destroying it.

"Well, how about that." a new voice spoke. Sora turned over and found a black cloak person. The man removed his hood. He was an older man with blue hair, gold eyes, pointy ears, and an X mark on his face.

**Name: Saix**  
><strong>Fruit of Choice: Banana<strong>

Sora returned to his normal form and Goofy reappeared.

"… That's an odd power. Regardless, have you seen Axel anywhere?"

Sora's party readied their weapons. "We don't care!" the boy said.

Saix kept talking. "We're having trouble keeping control of him. Now he's gone AWOL."

"Not a very organized organization."

Saix was about to speak, but halted for a moment.

* * *

><p><em>-The Boss: Time to betray Saix. Also nothingness is eternal.<em>  
><em>-Xigbar: You think I'm gonna do what you tell me, Saix? As if.<em>  
><em>-Xaldin: The Kool-Aid Man, Saix. He's out to get me. You've got to throw him off my trail.<em>  
><em>-Axel: Hey Saix. I like Roxas better than you now, got it memorized? Also I don't like the way you're treating him and <em>[MEMORY DELETED]_, got it memorized?_  
><em>-Demyx: Aw man I hate it when you make me do things, Saix.<em>  
><em>-Tenth Member: Shall you gamble with me, Saix?<em>  
><em>-Marluxia: Bwahaha, time to overthrow the boss!<em>  
><em>-Larxene: **** everyone except for me!<em>  
><em>-Roxas: I quit!<em>  
><em>(Roxas beats Saix up and walks away.)<em>

* * *

><p>"… Admittedly we've had a rough year…" Saix rubbed his temples. "But regardless, Axel wants you to be a Heartless. Keep your guard up."<p>

"Why?" Sora asked. "Why would he make me a Heartless?"

"And if you weren't able to do what you do best, that would make us sad."

Goofy shook his head. "But yer a Nobody! They don't have hearts!"

"But I remember what it's like to have emotions. That's what makes the Organization special, we remember. We know how one should feel in certain situations."

Donald quacked to Saix about how ridiculous this seemed, but the Nobody did not listen.

"Bye." Saix parted ways with the others by way of Dark Corridor.

"Gawrsh, that was purty weird."

"GET OUT OF MY TOWN!" Seifer yelled. Sora, Donald, and Goofy noticed them.

"But… but we helped!" pleaded Sora. "We helped! You were there, and you and you…" he turned to Donald and Goofy, "and you, and you. And I was there! Good times…"

"If I give you my Struggle trophy, will you get out of our hair?"

"Thanks citizen, but helping is its own rewar-" Seifer threw the trophy at Sora, knocking him down. The disciplinarians proceeded to walk away.

"You could've at least thanked them, y'know?"

"Ungrateful."

"Can it, you two!" Seifer told his lackeys. As soon as Sora got up, Pence ran into him by mistake, knocking him back down.

"Ow…" both boys hurt. As soon as they got up, Pence grabbed Sora's shoulders.

"Hey, do you know a girl named Kairi?"

"… Yes."

"Then you should come to the station."

Sora thought long and hard about this. "… Okay."

* * *

><p>Sora, Donald, and Goofy made it to the station, with Goofy carrying the trophy.<p>

"Hey guys, you ever feel like you were a girl who's actually memories belonging to a boy and then you're a giant knight in clown shoes before dying in your best friend's arms? I don't know why that thought just popped into my head when we got here. … Now I have the sudden craving to eat ice cream."

Donald's quacks indicated indifference. At that time, Hayner and Olette came onto the scene. Pence was already with Sora.

"Oh you're all here." Hayner made his way to Sora. "Sora, I've got good news and bad news."

"What's the bad news?"

"Kairi's not here anymore."

"Oh. … What's the good news?"

"Kairi was here."

Sora didn't get it. "Wait, how does that help after the bad news?"

"Well I was kind of hoping you'd ask for the good news first, and for the bad news, I'd repeat myself and emphasize 'was'. But you kind of messed it up for me."

Pence spoke up. "Then this weirdo with spiky red hair showed up and kidnapped her. I saw him hanging around town with this other kid before, but I didn't know they were into kidnapping. You know, you remind me of that other kid, to be honest."

Hayner didn't care about Pence's observed similarities between Roxas and Sora. "Cool story bro."

Olette lowered her head. "Sorry we got your hopes up for nothing."

Sora was off in the corner in the fetal position, though upright, rocking back and forth.

"Sad… so sad…"

Goofy leaned in to speak to Hayner and Olette. "He's kinda sensitive when it comes t' his friends. ACHOO!"

Goofy sneezed, dropping the trophy. The crystals were knocked loose. Hayner, Pence, and Olette respectively saved the green, red, and yellow ones. Setzer picked up the blue one.

"Hmm… I find this blue crystal to be quite loyal." Sora walked over and took the crystal away from him.

"Give me that!"

"The indignity!" Setzer stormed off. "You will soon feel the wrath of my loyalty! And you will know my name is Edga- I mean Setzer!"

Sora and the other kids all held their crystals up to the sky and looked at them. Goofy held up the similar blue crystal that Mickey had given them long ago. Donald was not sure if it was a trick of the light, tiredness, or some combination, but Sora disappeared for a second, and was replaced by a similar boy.

The second passed, and Sora returned. Goofy put the crystal from Mickey back in the munny pouch that Olette noticed was very similar to hers. Then Sora's crystal started reacting to the Keyblade.

"Oh!"

With the two items working in conjunction, Sora unlocked Twilight Town's Keyhole. Hayner, Pence, and Olette walked up to Sora.

"What just happened?" Olette asked.

"It's time to go. Maybe someday Kairi and I will come back to visit. Riku too."

Sora, Donald, and Goofy said their goodbyes to the friends. Over in the corner, Setzer was in the fetal position, upright, rocking back and forth.

"Sad… so sad…"

**To be continued.**

* * *

><p>-Saix's favorite food being a banana is a reference to his Casual Gear.<p>


	12. Paranoids In Space

**Chapter 11: Paranoids in Space**

Sora, Donald, and Goofy returned to Hollow Bastion, noticing a staggering amount of Heartless. They were running up and down the stairs, climbing buildings, and playing Checkers.

"Whoa! That's a lot of Heartless!" Sora stated the obvious.

"Gawrsh Sora, ya think Leon and the others are okay?"

Sora nodded. "We should check on them. … After I play the winner in Checkers over there."

"Sorry broski, you gotta take a number before playing!" a random citizen said.

"Aw what? Lame!" Sora slouched. Goofy snapped his fingers, disappointed that he too could not play. Donald did not really care. "Come on Donald and Goofy, let's just go check in on Leon."

Sora and friends started heading over to Merlin's place. On the way over, they ran into a familiar face.

"Wow! Guys, it's him!"

"Gawrsh, ya look kinda different from before!"

**Name: Cloud Strife**  
><strong>Words not to say in front of him: Wall Market<strong>

"Cloud, what are you doing here?" Sora asked. Cloud Strife looked up from leaning against a wall. He did indeed look different. Previously, he was a mix between himself and Vincent Valentine, now he resembles himself from _Advent Children_.

"I live in this world."

"Why do ya look so different, Cloud?"

"If I look different, it's because of him."

Goofy tilted his head. "Golly, what does that mean?"

"Never mind. If you'll excuse me, they're about to call my number so I can play Checkers."

"Aye, yew will be schooled durin' our game, you will." said Scrooge McDuck.

**Name: Scrooge McDuck**  
><strong>You'd recognize him from: DuckTales (wooo!)<strong>

Donald noticed Scrooge McDuck standing there all of a sudden. He quacked, inquiring to why his uncle was in Hollow Bastion.

"I been livin' here for ten years t' sell ice cream, laddie! Now iffin' ya don't mind, I'm gonna play Mr. Strife 'ere in a game of Checkers to take mah mind off the fact that ah can't come up with any new flavors!"

"Tell me if you see Sephiroth, guys."

"Hi!" Aerith greeted Cloud.

"No! Aerith! Gaah! Reverting… back… into angst mode… The guilt! It burns!" Cloud staggered away, with odd feelings of guilt eating him up. Sora, Donald, Goofy, Scrooge, and Aerith were all confused.

* * *

><p>Sora's trio entered Merlin's house.<p>

"Merlin, I'm home!"

(laugh track)

Merlin looked up from reading.

"Oh Sora it's awful! Some Heartless came and ripped the pages right out of this book! If you see those pages, could you return them? They should be scattered around the worlds."

Sora didn't understand. "Wait, why would they scatter-"

"Just do it, boy!"

Cid walked in, holding a cup of tea. "If yer lookin' for Leon, he's at Ansem's old place. Just head down to the bailey and follow the only path. Dunno where the brat went off to. … Eh, it's quieter without her anyway."

* * *

><p>As Sora and the others were heading trough the bailey, three miniature fairy-like beings stopped him. One had brown hair, one had blonde hair, and one had gray hair. They were respectively:<p>

**Name: The Gullwings (Yuna, Rikku, Paine)**  
><strong>Bounty: 1, 000, 000 Munny (offered by Noah Antwiler)<strong>

"Are you with the Restoration Committee?" Yuna asked.

Sora nodded. "You bet I am! I'm their Official Janitor! … On second thought, that doesn't sound as cool as I thought. Anyway Donald's the Official Errand Boy, and-"

"And I'm the Official Pimp! Ahyuck!"

"… Clearly they're top tier committee members." Paine mocked them with sarcasm.

"Where's Leon?" Rikku asked.

Sora stared at his card and sighed. "Maybe I should ask for a new position. … Huh? Oh I think they're at the castle postern."

Rikku fist pumped. "Booyaka!"

"Time to go report to Maleficent." Yuna said.

"Wuzzat?" asked Goofy.

"Nothing!" the Gullwings spoke in unison. After that, they all flew away.

* * *

><p>Everyone made their way into the castle and walked around, ignoring the blue koala-like creature that was crawling around. Eventually, they reached a round office with a portrait of Ansem.<p>

"Gawrsh, this looks like it was Ansem's office!"

"Excuse me." A woman called out. Everyone turned around.

**Name: Tifa Lockhart**  
><strong>Friend and rival: Lara Croft<strong>

"Have you seen Cloud?"

"Aww shucks, he's down by the marketplace, ma'am!" reported Goofy. Tifa nodded and left.

"Thanks!"

At that time, Leon rose up from behind the desk as if he were riding an elevator.

"Well now that she's gone, it's good to see you guys again."

"Whoa! Leon, were you there the whole time?"

"Yeah. Check it." Leon kicked a wall, revealing a door leading into a metal hallway, much to everyone else's shock. They all headed in.

"Wow, that's a giant computer!" Sora stated the obvious. He went over and started typing.

"K… A… I… R… I… There!" Sora tried using the almighty power of Google to find Kairi, but no dice. "Hmm… maybe if I type Riku's name instea-"

Then the blue koala from earlier fell from the ceiling and onto the keyboard.

"Wah!"

**Name: Stitch (Experiment 626)**  
><strong>Currently thirsty for: Coffee<strong>

Donald started quacking for Stitch to get off the computer, but Stitch started speaking gibberish back.

"Mimee geebee! Bagababa! Bawa!"

Leon put his palm to his face. "Knock it off, both of you. You're gonna make the computer mad. I didn't tell you this, but the computer is actually evil."

"Gawrsh Leon, why's there an evil computer here?"

"Beats me."

A voice from the computer rang.

"INSIGNIFICANT USERS. I AM THE MASTER CONTROL PROGRAM. I WILL NOT STAND FOR FURTHER MISUSE OF MY TERMINAL. REMOVE YOURSELVES FROM MY VICINITY AT ONCE, OR YOU SHALL FACE DIRE CONSEQUENCES."

"Hey that reminds me, why are you evil?" Leon asked.

"I WILL GIVE ALL OF YOU TEN SECONDS TO EVACUATE THE IMMEDIATE AREA BEFORE I TAKE ACTION."

"Gawrsh, we'd better skedaddle!"

"But wait," started Sora, "what could a computer possibly to do us?"

"I COULD DO THIS."

The computer shot a laser that captured Sora, Donald, and Goofy and took them into the computer.

"… Shoot." Leon was annoyed.

"Nana crista…" Stitch didn't like this any better.

* * *

><p><em><strong>SPACE PARANOIDS<strong>_

Sora, Donald, and Goofy all woke up inside the computer. It was a strange and oddly-colored land. Their clothes were black with glowing blue lines. The parts of them that were still their original bodies had turned gray.

"Whoa… where are we?" Sora asked.

"I actually don't know, this time." Goofy said.

Donald quacked a lot.

"All right Donald, I'm sorry. I had no way of knowing a computer could do that."

"Insolent Users." An older and raspier voice insulted our heroes. They turned to find a man in similar attire to them, but with red lines. He had Heartless with similar design schemes surrounding him.

**Name: Sark**  
><strong>Preferred Browser: Internet Explorer<strong>

"Hey, do you know a way out of here?" asked Sora, hopefully.

* * *

><p>Sora, Donald, and Goofy found themselves inside of a jail cell.<p>

"Well that didn't work." Sora stated the obvious.

"No, Sark doesn't typically like anyone but the MCP." another adult voice spoke up. He was a man wearing clothes similar to Sark, but in his own way and with blue stripes.

"I'm Tron. Greetings, programs."

**Name: Tron**  
><strong>Fights For: The Users<strong>

"Nice to meet ya, Tron! Name's Goofy!"

"And I'm Sora, and he's Donald Duck. And we're not programs. Where are we?"

"I'm a security program. This mainframe, or 'world' as you say, is actually a replica of a mainframe created by a corporation known as ENCOM. The User who owns this computer has his own copy, which we are in now, and named it, 'The Place From Tron OS'."

Sora squinted. "That's weird."

"He used this computer to maintain the town and for personal research. Also to upload videos of his Christopher Lee impression. I believe some other Users recently installed a defense program for the town."

"Oh you mean Leon, Yuffie, and all the others. Yeah they did that."

"Well the MCP isn't taking kindly to that. I thought it was a good idea and let them get away with it, so I was arrested."

"So Users… they're humans?"

"Pretty much."

Goofy raised his hand. "Who's this MCP feller? Was he the loud voice that put us in here?"

Tron nodded. "That he was. He was inactive for so long, and in addition he'll only listen to the User who owns this computer. On top of that, he's jealous that he can't join the Checkers tournament going on."

"How do we get out?" Sora asked.

Tron motioned to the yellow screen next to him. "This thing. Except the MCP cut the power. We just need to get to the canyon and reactivate it, and presto."

"Oh boy! C'mon fellers, let's get to it, ahyuck!" Goofy tried to leave the pit cell, but the door was locked. "Aw shucks.

"Hmm… I hope this still works." Sora summoned the Keyblade. "Wow it does!" He ran over to the door and unlocked it. "There we go!"

* * *

><p>Sark was talking to a giant, wire grid face.<p>

"Master Control Program, can we not just de-rezz Tron and the Users right now?"

**Name: MCP (Master Control Program)**  
><strong>Allies: GLaDOS<strong>

"NEGATIVE. I AM STILL TRYING TO LOCATE THE RAINBOW CONNECTION."

"Sir, what does that-"

"WOCKA-WOCKA."

"... Shal-"

"WOCKA-WOCKA."

"… Shall I at least de-resolute the Users?"

"DO AS YOU SEE FIT."

* * *

><p>Sora, Tron, Donald, and Goofy all made it to the energy core in the canyon. The program spoke first.<p>

"There, we have to find the right box and jolt it! And if we don't do it in time… Actually I don't know. But let's not find out."

The boxes around the core started spinning around.

"Waaah! Come on, guys!"

Everyone started attacking all the cores with their various weapons. Eventually Donald got it right by shooting a spell at the correct cube. After Sora and Tron put it back, the program spoke up.

"That oughta do it. You three are free to go. But wait, can you guys do me a solid, first?" Tron pleaded.

"All right. Why'd you say it like that, though?"

Tron shrugged. "I figured that since I am dealing with Users, I should sound hip, like them. Yo canine. This is for real, are you able to comprehend? This is my territory. MCP ought not come around here. … Yo."

Sora, Donald, and Goofy all winced.

"Let's… just head back to the cell." Sora said.

* * *

><p>In the pit cell, Tron was fiddling with the terminal, readying it for transport.<p>

"When you get back to the User world, I want you to find the User who owns this computer. He needs to give you the access to the DTD."

"Ya mean Ansem?" Goofy asked. "But we killed him! He was a Heartless!"

"_A_ Heartless? Why do you say 'heartless' as if it was a noun and not an adjective?"

Sora explained it. "Heartless are the name of the monsters that have been running around the worlds. Sark has some of them working for him."

"Oh, those Strafers he's been leading around. I get it."

Donald quacked to Tron.

"Organization XIII? It is possible data about them exists in the DTD. What's for certain though is that the DTD contains some of my higher functions. … Yo. See, when I 'stepped up to' the MCP previously, he stripped me of my more advantageous functions. That's what I need from the DTD."

"You got it, Tron. Except without Ansem around, how are we gonna find the DTD?"

"… I don't know. I'm sure it's still completely possible, though. Now hurry, the MCP is onto us!"

Tron hit a few keys, and the adventurers were freed from the computer.

* * *

><p>Leon was typing at the keyboard.<p>

"Come on, quit giving me the silent treatment. I know you can hear me, Master Control Program. Come on." Leon kept egging the computer on. He was also hitting the same key over and over. A minute later, Sora, Donald, and Goofy returned.

"You're back. I knew hitting 'return' over and over would eventually work. Well glad that's all behind us."

"Leon, when you all installed the defense program to the town, you woke up the MCP and now he's running a dictatorship inside the computer!" Sora explained. Leon rubbed his chin.

"Wow. That's intense."

"Darn it, where is he?" Tifa's voice yelled from the office.

"Still at it, I see." snarked Leon. "Guess he wasn't in the marketplace after all. Come on, we'd better make sure she doesn't break anything important."

Everyone went over to the office and noticed that Tifa had single-handedly removed the portrait of Ansem (Seeker of Darkness), revealing some doodles. She hadn't noticed said doodles.

Leon put his palm to his face once more. "Tifa, I really doubt Cloud is hiding in here somewhere. In fact, I doubt he's hiding at all. He's probably just minding his own business."

"But he needs my light!"

"Your what?" Sora asked. Leon put his hand on Sora's shoulder and shook his head. Sora got the clue. Goofy went over to inspect the doodle, followed by his two friends. It looked like some words were partially erased.

_**HOLLO**W** MAIN S**EC**URITY**_  
><em><strong>T**R**O**N** D**oor** T**o** D**arkness_

Donald started reading aloud, and then it finally hit them like a truck.

"Door to Darkness!" Sora said.

"DTD!" cheered the friends at once.

"DTD?" asked Leon.

"DTD!" Sora repeated for him.

"DT… D?" asked Tifa.

"DTD." repeated Goofy, nodding.

"DTD!" said Mickey Mouse.

"Yeah, DTD." said Sora. Then it hit Sora, Donald, and Goofy like an even bigger truck. "Your majesty!"

Mickey Mouse, still wearing the dark cloak, removed his hood and Donald gave him a hug. Then Goofy picked both of them up, laughing.

"Now we're all back together again! I haven' been this happy since we started that cartoon club that ol' Pete kept trying to shut down, ahyuck!"

"Good times…" Mickey reminisced. "… Anyway, what's all this about the Door to Darkness?"

Donald quacked to His Majesty about their current situation with Tron.

"Password? … Oh, a code!"

"I can see he didn't get the throne for his brains." Leon said.

"The Seven Princesses of Heart are the only way to open the Door to Darkness." said Mickey. "So maybe this computer-mumbo-jumbo Door to Darkness is the same way? In order to open it, you get Snow White, Jasmine, Belle, Aurora, Cinderella, Alice, and Kairi!"

"So their names could be the password…" Leon was a tad slow in putting it all together.

"So once you open the DTD, you think we'll all finally locate Ansem?" inquired Mickey.

"Uhh… no. Your Majesty, we stopped him. Remember? You were there… for about twenty seconds. And I was there. Donald and Goofy were there… Ansem was there before he died, which was a bit before you showed up. Riku was there, kinda. Kairi was there, I'm not sure how that happened. Good times."

Mickey's eyes widened. "Ohhh… You don't know, huh? Well you see-"

"Go help Tron already!" Leon yelled. "… Say, where'd Tifa go?"

"Awww…" Donald and Goofy were disappointed.

"But we wanna stay here with King Mickey!" complained Sora.

"Aw don't worry guys, I'll still be here. Oh Sora, you may want this, as well." Mickey gave Sora a yellow orb.

"Wowee, what is this?"

"Master Form. It's the strongest known Drive Form. Instead of adding power like Valor Form, magic like Wisdom Form, or your old abilities like the Limit Form, this one balances out your fighting attributes and enhances 'em! But you need all your friends to do it."

"Sora! Tron! Now!" Leon ordered.

* * *

><p>Back in The Place From Tron OS, also known as Space Paranoids, Sora and friends were back in the pit cell. Goofy started playing on the terminal.<p>

"Maybe this thingamabob will help us find Tron!"

"INSOLENT USERS. YOU HAVE ESCAPED ONCE, YET YOU CHOSE TO RETURN. VERY WELL. TO THE GAME GRID WITH YOU."

Sora, and friends were teleported to the Game Grid.

* * *

><p>"Goofy!" Sora and Donald yelled.<p>

"Gawrsh, sorry fellers."

Sark's voice blared over the entire grid. "Look who's come crawling back to us. For your insignificance, you are to play a game. Lose, and you face de-resolution on the spot. Win, and… well… you shall not win. Hahahaha!"

A light cycle was produced for the party.

"How are we all supposed to fit on it?" Sora asked.

"You're right." Sark's voice agreed. Donald and Goofy were immediately teleported away. "They'll be in the Recycle Bin as hostages." Sora was getting mad now. "Fine, tell me what to do!"

"Defeat five Magnum Loaders. Go!"

Sora hopped onto the light cycle. Light cycle-themed Heartless started ganging up on the Keyblade wielder, but he took them all down. As a reward, a Devastator Heartless showed up and started shooting at Sora.

"Hey! Sark, you bully!"

The Heartless fired another shot, but Sora dodged and a hole appeared in the wall.

"You fool! Now he can escape! I must activate the maze walls!"

As Heartless and walls were showing up, Sora drove around and looked any way he could for the exit. Eventually he found himself in a long, straight path leading to the hole, with four Devastators aiming at him. They all charged shots, but Sora managed to accelerate the bike and zoom through the exit.

"King me!" the boy shouted.

* * *

><p>The three were back in the pit cell.<p>

"That was a close 'un."

"Goofy… I forgive you, because that was kind of fun."

Donald shrieked, as did Sora and Goofy when they found out what he was going on about. Tron looked weak.

"Tron! Are you okay?"

"MCP… placed himself in my 'grill' as it were. Why… are you back?"

Sora was confused. "To give you the password, silly!"

"You… could've just… transmitted the data…" The friends felt a bit stupid after that. "Regardless… that's good. Let's go."

* * *

><p>In the data space, everyone found a terminal to access.<p>

"Password?" Tron asked.

"Snow White, Cinderella, Aurora, Belle, Jasmine, Alice, Kairi." Sora said.

"… I am unsure of how to spell some of those."

Sora helped Tron out, and soon everything was all set up.

A female voice spoke, similar to the voice that kept track of Sora and Roxas's restoration data. "NOW ACTIVATING DTD."

ZZZT!

"UNKNOWN USER INTERACTION. PREPARING HEARTLESS."

"Dang it, Leon!" Sora yelled.

* * *

><p>"Come on Facebook, load! I wanna update my status with those lyrics to that song I like. They fit me so well."<p>

**Leon (Squall Leonheart)**  
><em>Im sX-E &amp; I n0 it<em>  
>Like - Comment - 3 Seconds Ago<p>

* * *

><p>Thanks to all of that, Sora and friends found themselves face to face with a bunch of Heartless. After some short work, they came out on top.<p>

"Now for the last touch. Literally, I might add." Tron put his hand on a projection and started glowing briefly. "There! I'm as good as new!"

"THANK YOU, TRON." MCP roared. "I HAVE ACCESS TO THE DTD. NOW I MAY EXACT VENGEANCE UPON WALDORF AND STATLER FOR HUMILIATING ME."

"Gawrsh, I thought you were mad at Leon."

Tron put his hand to his chin. "User interaction could be interfering with some of the MCP's programming, giving him delusions in his goals and mannerisms."

* * *

><p>"Now to ask for thumbs up on Youtube." Leon announced.<p>

Tifa sighed. "Leon, don't you think it might be dangerous to use the computer while those guys are inside it?"

"They'll be fine."

* * *

><p>"OH YES, THIS INDIVIDUAL WHO HAS AROUSED ME FROM MY HIBERNATION."<p>

Sora snickered.

"I SHALL ACTIVATE THE EMERGENCY SELF-DESTRUCT MECHANISM FOR THE TOWN. AN APPROPRIATE REWARD FOR TAMPERING WITH MY FUNCTIONS."

"Yo man, I am not down with such activities!" Tron quickly went back to the terminal and changed the password. "There."

"NO MATTER. IT WILL NOT TAKE ME LONG TO FIGURE OUT THE NEW PASSWORD."

Tron turned to the others. "He's uploading a hostile program into the I/O Tower. We have to stop him!"

* * *

><p>Upon reaching the IO Tower, a giant, robotic monster of some sort lowered down.

"TRON. YOU HAVE LEFT ME DISAPPOINTED. WHY ALLIGN YOURSELVES WITH THE INSIGNIFICANT USERS?"

"Because I fight for the Users!"

"WELL… HERE IS WHERE YOU FIGHT TO THE LAST, THEN."

The hostile program started attacking everyone. Sora had an idea.

"Donald, Goofy, are you thinking what I'm thinking?"

They nodded.

"What is it?" Tron asked.

"A gift from King Mickey! Let's go!" Sora tried to activate Master Form, but ended up activating Anti Form. "Aroooo!"

The program shot some lasers at Anti Form Sora, but the rabid boy ran around and avoided the attacks.

"WHAT SORT OF USER IS THIS?" the MCP was awestruck.

Sora jumped around and kept clawing at the program, knocking loose its armor plating and some cluster orbs. At that point, the hostile program started zooming around the room, with Anti Form Sora unable to lay a claw on it. Eventually, Sora reverted back to normal, releasing Donald, Goofy, and Tron.

"You Users sure are something else…"

"Phew… Now that I have control again, Freeze!" Sora aimed his Keyblade at the program and froze it in place, with the power of the cluster orbs. "Tron!"

"Running executable!" Tron gave Sora a high five and set up some projected screens and tinkered around, unleashing a bunch of polygons to attack the program.

"Gawrsh, it's workin', fellers!"

"Access approved!" Tron told Sora. The boy nodded and pressed a holographic button.

"Back off!"

A sharp-looking polygon came from Sora and Tron and flew through the program, just like a javelin. The hostile program was defeated.

* * *

><p>Back in the Communications Room, Tron was working the terminal.<p>

"With that program out of the way and my functions restored, I can hold my own now. The MCP will fall before long. Just… don't let this 'Leon' User do anything stupid."

"You've got it, Tron." Sora nodded.

"If any of you need important information, I'll make sure to have a channel open for you. I changed the password earlier, like you saw, and the MCP doesn't know it. So don't worry about that."

Donald quacked.

"Glad you asked, Donald. Yo. The password is…"

* * *

><p>Sora, Donald, and Goofy returned to the lab and found Leon.<p>

"Oh hey guys. Wanna see this video I found-"

Goofy pushed Leon away from the computer, and Sora spoke.

"Leon, you're not allowed on this computer anymore. Oh hey look."

Little 8-bit versions of Sora, Donald, and Goofy were dancing on the screen.

THANK YOU!

"Can I at least check the DTD?"

"Well, all right." answered Sora.

"What's the password?"

"Sora!"

Donald quacked his name.

"And Goofy, ahyuck!"

"That must get old." Leon stated as he entered the password. "There. I've got to follow the King into town to see what's going on, I'll be back. You can work with this until then, right?"

Leon walked away. Sora stepped up to the computer and typed Kairi's name into the box. No dice. He tried Riku's name. Similar results.

"Awww… If Ansem's computer doesn't know, how will I ever find her?"

"Uh Sora, it's not as simple as that." Goofy said. "Try this!" Goofy hip-bumped Sora to the side and typed 'Nobodies' into the box. Results came in.

"Whoa!" Sora and Donald were amazed.

"DATA CORRUPTED." said the female voice.

"Oh. Never mind. Uhh… Organization?" Goofy tried.

The data was also corrupt. Sora started slamming his fists on the keyboard, which accidentally brought up a window about a blonde man with a red scarf over his lab coat.

Mickey walked in and perked up when he saw Sora and friends were back from Space Paranoids, but Sora was glaring.

"Aha! You're back!"

Sora snapped his fingers at Mickey.

"… Right… Anyway, I see you found the picture of Ansem the Wise."

Sora slapped his own face. "This thing's not telling me where my friends are, so don't have time for your games, Your Majesty!"

Sora dragged Mickey back to the office and set him down by the portrait of Ansem, Seeker of Darkness.

"That's Ansem!"

"Huh? … Nah, that's not Ansem. That was his Heartless. And to be honest, that wasn't even Ansem's Heartless. It was the Heartless of a man who called himself Ansem, after he stole the real Ansem's name."

"… That makes sense." said Sora.

"The real Ansem, Ansem the Wise, should know everything we need to in regards to Organization XIII. And stuff. Don't worry fellas, the Ansem I know is one of the good guys!"

Donald quacked, and Goofy nodded.

"Donald has a point. If Not-Ansem went and turned himself into a Heartless, is there a Nobody of this guy runnin' around somewhere?"

Mickey looked up from polishing his Checkers trophy. "Oh definitely. He's the boss of Organization XIII, as a matter of fact. Say, isn't this a nice trophy?"

"Yeah sure whatever, where's Riku?"

"Oh I can't help you with that one, Sora. … Sorry…"

"B-But Organization XIII kidnapped Kairi!"

Mickey was shocked. "Sora… Donald, Goofy-"

"Access granted." said the computer from another room, interrupting.

"-Maybe we should help our friends here in Hollow Bastion before moving on."

_BANG._ An explosion came from the direction of the bailey.

"Right on cue!" Sora said. He, Donald, Goofy, and Mickey all ran out of the office to help everyone.

**To be continued.**

* * *

><p>-Admittedly I took some creative liberties with the reason MCP started antagonizing people, so I apologize if that ruins it for someone.<p>

-So yeah, every time MCP talked about the Muppets, that was because Leon was screwing around on the computer.


	13. Sora, Donald, and Goofy vs The World

**Chapter 12: Sora, Donald, and Goofy vs. The World**

Heartless! Heartless everywhere! Nowhere in Hollow Bastion was safe from the menace of the dark beings, they were swarming the whole town and surrounding areas. Sora, Donald, Goofy, and King Mickey Mouse were all leaving the castle to help fight.

* * *

><p>In the castle halls, Maleficent and Pete were witnessing some Heartless battling a few Nobodies. Maleficent sighed, remembering her visit to Halloween Town.<p>

"Pete, do you think I'm old?"

"… 'Dis a trick question?"

"… Never mind."

"I don' wanna be a parta dis! I'm leavin'!" Pete ran away. Then Sora walked up to her.

"Oh hey Maleficent, what's going on?"

"Oh. It's you. It's been a long time. I've been busy, being dead. You know, after you murdered me. Heartless! Cease your quarrel with the Nobodies and attack Sora!"

"Hey no fair!" Goofy complained.

Maleficent disappeared from the room, leaving Sora, Donald, and Goofy alone with all the monsters. Mickey had taken a different route out of the castle.

"_Give me strength!_" Sora absorbed Donald and Goofy, turning his clothes yellow and giving himself two Keyblades. He wielded his current one, Oathkeeper, and the secondary one, Photon Debugger.

**Sora - Master Form**

"It's over!" Sora started swinging his Keyblades around. Oathkeeper was attacking while Photon Debugger hovered on its own, casting Fire on the enemies. After a tough fight, they were all destroyed. Yuna, Rikku, and Paine flew in.

"Um, excuse me, have you seen Maleficent?" asked Yuna.

"Oh, she ran away." Sora explained.

"Lame! How could she run away? Lame! Lame! Lame, lame, lame!" Rikku pouted. Paine started shaking her head.

"This sucks. Now what?"

"Uh, wanna help Leon and all the others?" suggested Sora. The Gullwings huddled and soon Yuna flew over to Sora.

"Does Leon have any treasures?"

Sora's eyes lit up. "They have the greatest treasure of all! Friendship!" The Gullwings, however, weren't impressed. "Well… I think he has some spare munny too."

"Scoop!" Rikku pumped her fist. Paine nodded.

"All right, we'll help out." Yuna announced. The Gullwings then flew away.

* * *

><p>Outside the castle, Sora was confronted with a Dusk. But then a man in black, with long, silver hair, and one wing on his back plunged down and jabbed his ludicrously long sword through the Dusk's back.<p>

**Name: Sephiroth**  
><strong>Fan Girl Meter: 910**

Donald and Goofy re-emerged from Sora, reverting the boy back to his standard form. The duck then quacked and caught Goofy's attention.

"Hey Donald's right! He must be that there Sephiroth that Cloud's been talkin' about!"

Sephiroth removed his sword from the Dusk and saw Sora, Donald, and Goofy. "It appears I'm famous."

"More like infamous." corrected Sora. "Cloud has a score to settle with you!"

"Oh. Well that'll be hard, since I am eternal. Or as much eternal as he is. Or some junk like that, I don't really care. It's hot here, I should take my shirt off."

Suddenly every Sephiroth fan girl within a five-world radius fainted from the thought of a shirtless Sephiroth.

"… Nah on second thought, I'm good. Later, brohams." Sephiroth flapped his wing and flew upward. "Aaaah my back! This unevenness is killing me!" He then started flying away… but kept going in circles. "Curse you, theme music! Why couldn't my song have been called 'Two Winged Angel' or something like that? Now I gotta walk! Like a loser!"

Sephiroth lowered back down and casually jogged away from the castle. "Oh hey look, the Cavern of Remembrance opened up." the so-called angel pointed out.

* * *

><p>Down by the restoration site, Leon and Yuffie were taking care of some Nobodies. A Dancer Nobody materialized and kicked Sora in the face, knocking him into a wall.<p>

"Yow!"

As retaliation, Goofy bashed the Dancer with his shield, knocking it down. At that point, the Nobody started to cry.

"Gawrsh ma'am, I didn't mean t'-" He reached his arm out, but Donald slapped it away and quacked. "Oh yeah, that's right! Ya can't fool me!"

The Dancer stopped crying and began to attack Goofy, but Donald blasted it with Thunder. Sora came to again and rejoined the fray. One Dancer was about to jump-kick from behind, but luckily Stitch was there. The alien scuttled along the walls and stopped only to blast the Nobody with a laser before Sora's very eyes. before going on his merry way.

"Huh? Was that the thing from before?" asked the boy. Donald shrugged. The three then proceeded to run to the bailey to help King Mickey.

* * *

><p>"Hai-ya!" an oversized shuriken dug itself into an Armored Knight's torso, destroying it. Yuffie dusted her hands and retrieved her weapon. "Piece of cak-OW!" She was knocked over by another knight. "Son of a-"<p>

The Armored Knight then died of lethal injection from behind. Aerith stepped around the Heartless from its backside, carrying an empty syringe. What an ironic kill on her part.

"Wow, is that some kind of anti-Heartless serum?" the ninja questioned.

"Nope."

"Poison spell?"

"Nope."

"… Holy?"

"Nope. It's your motion sickness medication."

"… Oh. Weird."

* * *

><p>"Rejiji gigibawa!" Stitch chanted as he gunned down a few Heartless in the Great Maw. One almost took a swing at him, but the experiment rolled out of the way and got in a lethal shot. "Aloha! Hahahahahaaaaa!"<p>

* * *

><p>One Armored Knight had Paine cornered on a cliff.<p>

"Oh no. Whatever will I do? It's not like I can _fly_ or anything... This is stupid."

The Heartless swung its blade, and Paine flew away in time, allowing Yuna and Rikku to kick it off the cliff.

* * *

><p>A bunch of Heartless were running through an open space, but a grenade dropped down and blew a lot of them up. A mysterious voice somewhere was confused.<p>

"Brick, where'd you get a hand grenade?"

"I don't know."

* * *

><p>Cloud and Leon were back-to-back, swords out, ready to fight some Heartless. The head of the Restoration Committee leaned his head to the blonde one.<p>

"… So Cloud, fans say you're the coolest guy."

"Likewise."

"So… I dunno… Ready to fight or something? I got nothing."

"Let's mosey."

The smack-down began. Midway through said smack-down, however, Cloud got separated from Leon and found Sephiroth facing a bunch of Heartless.

"Sephiroth!"

"Yes, Cloud?" Sephiroth turned around. Due to the length of his sheathed sword, this simple turn killed a few Heartless.

"… I forgot."

"It's cool." Sephiroth turned back around, accidentally killing more Heartless.

"Oh wait I remember now."

"Yes?" Another murderous turn.

"I hate you… n' stuff."

"Then I shall give you 'dis pear."

"Despair?"

"No, this pear." He tossed Cloud a pear. "I hear they're good for you."

"Uhh… thanks?" Cloud pocked the pear. "…Well I'm gonna kill you now."

"But I am you."

"No you're Sephiroth."

"And I'm you."

"No I'm me, and you're you." Cloud stated.

"You're Cloud. I'm Cloud. We're all Cloud. Even him." Sephiroth pointed at Stitch, scuttling across a wall.

"I've changed all my numbers and codes, Sephiroth! You share my identity no longer!"

"… Nuts." Sephiroth ran away, with Cloud chasing him.

* * *

><p>At long last, Sora, Donald, and Goofy caught up to Mickey in the bailey.<p>

"Nuh-uh! You gotta go find Riku and Kairi! Don't worry about Leon and the others, they've got lotsa help."

"B-But I wanna help Leon and everyone!"

"Donald and Goofy! You guys gotta take Sora with you! Maybe Riku and Kairi are in one of the worlds you've been to recently."

Donald and Goofy nodded, to Sora's shock.

"But guys!"

"Well gawrsh Sora, we gotta follow his orders. And King Mickey said you gotta follow us, right?"

"Well yeah, but-"

"So then ya gotta follow us wherever we go."

Donald and Goofy snickered to themselves. Then the two of them ran past Mickey and into the war. Sora caught on quick and smiled, soon following after them. Mickey was a bit slower to catch on.

"Fellas, stop!"

Donald quacked that they were just doing as he said and taking Sora with them. The three then hurried down the slope to the castle gates.

"… Those clever little sneaks…" Mickey remarked.

* * *

><p>In the computer room, a cloaked figure put a CD into the computer.<p>

"INGIGNIFICANT USER! DO NOT- BLARGH! … NOW UPLOADING…"

The Unknown typed the password.

_A-N-O-T-H-E-R_

The Unknown gained access to an underground terminal. He took the long, silent walk down.

_Hey Master Ansem, can we do the experiment now?_

_No. Now never ask me that again. Also could you get Mickey and I some tea?_

At long last, the Unknown sat down in a room across from a discarded suit of blue armor. Judging by the shape, it belonged to a female. There was also a discarded blue Keyblade…

**Name: Armor of Mas_er _q_a**  
><strong>How to Learn More: Go play Birth By Sleep<strong>

"… It's been a long time." the Unknown spoke to the empty armor.

No response.

"Well that's not my fault, we were busy. One of us left and died, but we don't remember her. Then the Key of Destiny left, and now he's gone. The Flurry of Dancing Flames went AWOL as well."

The armor was silent.

"The Whirlwind Lancer's off on his own pet project, and I have no faith that the Melodious Nocturne will make it to the end of this day, though that may be a bonus, in spite of my true plan. The point is, we're falling apart so you'll excuse me if I haven't been up to seeing you. I'm trying to hold this thing together so I can get what I want. Or rather, what _we_ want."

No answer.

"You always know just what to say."

* * *

><p><em>A long time ago, a member of Organization XIII stopped another member of Organization XIII in a hallway. They were two members whom Sora had not met. They were dead by now. The first had long, dirty blonde hair and the second had blue hair that nearly covered one eye.<em>

**Name: Vexen**  
><strong>Creepiness: 910**

**Name: Zexion**  
><strong>Weapon: ? (Lexicon)<strong>

_"Zexion! As Number Four in this madhouse, I demand you tell me where the Superior is!"_

_"You do know that the number only indicates when we joined, right? … Well he's in the Room of Sleep."_

_Vexen stormed off, pouting._

_"So off seeing Ms. Armor herself, is that what our Superior's up to now?" Xigbar asked Zexion from atop some pipes._

_"… How'd you get up there?"_

_"I got power over space, Tux. Remember?"_

_"Well you and Xaldin are supposed to be finding new members. Why are you just slacking off around here?"_

_"Slacking? As if. We just bagged one yesterday. I think her name was Marsha. … At least, I'm pretty sure it was a girl. She had the hair for it. So yeah, we're up to eleven now. I'll take your apology in verbal form."_

_"As if." Zexion said, ironically._

_"Ohh, takin' my words now? You clever little sneak. And here I thought plagiarism was Saix's thing. So… what is it you know about the Superior that I didn't know you knew?"_

_"Hmm?" Zexion tilted his head._

_"… Never mind. Man, how long was it now since the incident? When Ansem took in that amnesiac bozo from the Badlands? Not our boss… uh… You know, that guy with the cool hakama. Then Ansem had us seal the Room of Sleep."_

_"I was there. Now the Superior frequently goes down there to ramble to someone who never seems to speak back, judging from the sounds of it."_

_"Rambling? As i- … Actually that sounds about right."_

_"Now would you stop this and go find more members? Eleven is not enough! … Two more should suffice. Maybe a fourteenth after that, but it's iffy."_

_Xigbar ignored him completely. "Say, what's Mr. Nothingness even so interested in Castle Oblivion for anyway? The Room of Awakening? As if he'd find that so easily. Going by the name, it's probably where Mr. Boss Man's other buddy from the good ol' days is hiding."_

_"… Maybe." Zexion started stroking his chin._

* * *

><p>Back in the present day, Sora, Donald, and Goofy found themselves face to face with another member of Organization XIII. Demyx.<p>

"… Waah! It's you guys again!" the Melodious Nocturne was put off. "Oh please don't tell me we gotta fight or something. I just wanna… not do work. That's about it, actually. I mean, I don't like you guys, but I don't like doing work either."

"Gawrsh Donald, ya think that means he don't know how to fight?"

Donald quacked, bringing up how during their previous encounter, he merely made them attack watery clones of him.

"Uhh! I can too fight!"

"Nuh-uh!" Sora egged him on.

"Aw come on guys, you're hurting my feelings!"

Donald quacked, and Sora decided to translate the sentiment.

"You're a Nobody, you don't have feelings!"

Demyx's eyes widened. "… Took you long enough. You're going down, _traitor_." Demyx summoned his sitar and started playing a song. "DANCE WATER, DANCE! In fifty seconds, your heart's mine!"

Many water clones of Demyx emerged from the Nobody, and the party only had a limited amount of time to defeat them.

"Fire! Fire! Fire!" Sora tried the best spell he could think of, but eventually- "Guys! I have an idea! Donald!"

Sora grabbed Donald and rested him atop his shoulders. The duck mage started blasting magical fireworks at the forms until they were all gone.

"Dance water, dance!"

More forms. Sora set Donald down. "Goofy!" Then Sora and Goofy started attacking the forms in unison, using the same motions.

"Take thay-at!" Goofy cried. Sora then launched him like a missile, destroying the last forms.

"Uh-oh…" muttered Demyx as he got knocked over by Goofy. The dog walked over to Sora and Donald, and the three nodded and shouted at once.

"Trinity!" Sora, Donald, and Goofy all attacked Demyx in rapid combos before shooting some kind of beam. As a finisher, the three gathered and raised their weapons, using a light to harm Demyx.

"WHOOOA!" Demyx was knocked across the way, but kicked off a wall with a bunch of geysers behind him. "Like it?"

"No-"

"Water!"

Sora was knocked over by a bubble, and Donald was carried all the way into a wall. Goofy had a shield to protect him. The Keyblade bearer ran up to Demyx, who started playing his sitar, and managed to knock him away in mid-performance.

"Ouch! Come on, keep to the beat!" He danced around and played a few notes, causing geysers to appear in certain positions on cue, one of which sending Goofy into the air. "Got ya now-" Goofy fell on top of him.

"Gawrsh, sorry about that."

Demyx got out from under Goofy and started playing his sitar. He turned away from Sora, and the boy ran up to him.

"Uh, hey we're fighting-" Sora was interrupted by Demyx turning around and smacking him with the sitar as he did so. Sora was knocked into a wall, and noticed Demyx slowly walking toward Sora. With each solitary step, a wall of geysers appeared before Demyx.

"Oh no, he's getting me cornered…" Sora was worried. "Wait! I'll use my trusty frying pan… as a drying pan!" Sora pulled out a frying pan and threw it, hitting Demyx dead on in the face and making him drop the sitar.

"Ow! Oh come on, what was that? You threw a frying pan? Honestly! What was that?" Stitch ran up to Demyx, shot him with a laser, threw a necklace to Sora, and went back to whatever he was doing.

Demyx picked up the sitar. "… DANCE WATER, DANCE!" 99 forms appeared, and Sora had a time limit of forty seconds. "Got ya now! Ain't it a blast?"

"No way, I need Donald and Goofy for this! Unless… _Let's go!_" Sora activated his Limit Form, the only Drive that worked with one person.

**Sora - Limit Form**

His clothes were the same, but the colors were changed so that he looked like he was wearing his clothes from a year ago. With the use of many of Sora's old abilities, the boy made short work of the forms, and finally, Demyx himself.

"Aww… blew it again…"

Sora caught his breath while Donald and Goofy came to and went to Sora's side. Demyx was dizzy and dropped his sitar.

"Huh?" He fell to his knees and noticed that he was disappearing. "What? Oh no! Boguuuuuuuuuuuuuus!" He faded into a dark mist which soon scattered as his last words echoed throughout the area.

"Roar! I have the taste of blood now! Must kill more Organization members! I wanna go after that surfer dude we met last time! He was a jerk!"

Donald quacked and Goofy nodded.

"Yeah Sora, we gotta help Leon and the others."

"There you are!" Mickey walked up to the trio. "I was gonna get mad at you, but I can't just stay mad when you're willing to help others. On top of that, the weakest member of Organization XIII gave you all a run for your money, so-"

"He was just the weakest? Rats, we're in trouble." Sora lamented.

"Well in that case, let's finish this battle together!" Mickey smiled. Knowing that Mickey was with them to the end, Sora, Donald, and Goofy managed to smile as well.

At that very same moment, a Surveillance Robot Heartless just fired a laser at a Dusk, but that somehow caused a giant boulder to head straight for Mickey's, well, head.

"Yer Majesty, look out!" Goofy knocked Mickey out of the way and took the hit for him. That hit being a giant boulder right to the face and sending him into a wall.

_**FATALITY**_

"… Did that just happen or am I having a sick fantasy?" Sora asked. Donald and Mickey ran over to Goofy, soon followed by Sora.

"Goofy! Goofy, tell me you're okay!" Mickey begged, but there was no response. Sora was freaking out.

"No Goofy, you can't be dead! Who else will Donald and I have ice cream with?" Sora asked, desperate.

"MUST KILL IN COLD BLOOD! THAT'S WHAT GOOFY WOULD WANT! I AM ANGRY! THIS IS MY OUTSIDE VOICE!" Micky threw off his cloak, revealing red and white clothes underneath. He summoned a color-swapped version of Sora's Keyblade and ran off, followed by Donald, who was quacking in rage.

"Wait for me!" Sora called.

* * *

><p>Sora was stopped by some Heartless on the ravine trail, but a shuriken mowed them all down.<p>

"Sora, I'll help!" Yuffie said.

"MUST AVENGE GOOFY! BLAARGH!"

"Uhh… yeah…"

Sora, still in Limit Form, went to town on the Heartless while Yuffie had her hands full herself. Eventually the Heartless Barrier died down.

"Go on, I've got it from here!"

Sora hurried on, but got stopped again. Leon dropped down.

"We'll do it together."

Sora kept getting ballistic on the enemies, but there were still enough for Leon's gunblade to shoot and/or stab.

"Shootin' and-a stabbin', shootin' and-a stabbin', oh I like to, oh I like to shoot and stab… Heartless."

The barrier faded, and Sora kept going. Then Tifa arrived.

"Hey you haven't seen Cloud anywhere have- Uh-oh." A Morning Star Heartless lunged at Tifa, but she kicked it away and threw another one at it.

Sora kept bashing Heartless with various techniques and lasers, as well as… Dodge Roll. Tifa was the one to end the battle.

"Go on ahead."

Sora kept going, but found Heartless ahead of him. Before he could slaughter them, Cloud dropped down and took a few out.

"Sora! Let's mosey!"

Cloud worked on some Heartless on his end while Sora used up the rest of Limit Form on the other Heartless nearby. Sora was back to normal.

"… I feel satisfied now."

"Whatever that means. I'm going back to what I was doing, now." Cloud jumped into the air, disappearing. Sora, meanwhile, ran into the crystal fissure. He found Mickey and Donald in there.

"I don't know about you and Donald, but I think my bloodlust rampage has been satisfied."

"Yeah me too."

Donald quacked.

"Gawrsh, that Cloud guy can jump real high! … Oh hey guys!"

Sora, Donald, and Mickey noticed Goofy was with them.

"Goofy!" Mickey tackled his knight captain and friend, and Sora nearly did the same. Donald hit him on the shin with his stave.

"Youch, why'd ya do that?"

Donald quacked something about scaring him.

* * *

><p>After a brief respite, Sora, Donald, Mickey, and even Goofy headed on out to the Great Maw and noticed a few thousand Heartless all standing in place.<p>

"… What are they waiting for?" Sora asked.

"Hey look!" Goofy pointed to the cliffs, where the Unknown from the Room of Sleep (not that they would know) was standing. He removed his hood to reveal that he bore a striking resemblance to Ansem, Seeker of Darkness, but with spikier hair.

"Xemnas…" Mickey muttered.

**Name: Xemnas**  
><strong>Favorite Thing: Nothingness (which is eternal)<strong>

"That there is Not-Ansem's Nobody, ahyuck! There he is! So now we just gotta beat him and call it a day!"

"Aha!" Mickey had come to a conclusion. "I remember him!"

* * *

><p><em>Mickey was in the office of Ansem the Wise, speaking to the man himself.<em>

_"Hey Ansem, is it just me, or is there some serious stuff going down in all the worlds?"_

**Name: Ansem the Wise**  
><strong>Favorite Popsicle Flavor: Sea Salt<strong>

_"I'm afraid so, my friend." Ansem spoke. "My research is likely to blame."_

_A knock on the door. A younger scientist walked in, with hear quite similar to that of Xemnas, and a voice like that of Ansem, Seeker of Darkness. He had a tinge of gullibility locked away in him somewhere._

_"Hey Master Ansem, can we do the experiment now?"_

_"No. Now never ask me that again. Also could you get Mickey and I some tea?"_

_"… Yes sir."_

_"Thank you very much, Xehanort."_

**Name: Xehanort**  
><strong>Quirks: Wiggling fingers when ranting<strong>

_Xehanort bowed and left the two alone._

_"That name sounds familiar... Oh well." Mickey shrugged it off._

* * *

><p>Mickey looked like he had gotten over reliving a painful memory. "Xehanort… could that mean… Terra… I have to know."<p>

"Your Majesty, what are you talking about?" Sora asked. Mickey summoned his Kingdom Key D and charged for Xemnas. The army of Heartless then made their move.

"Before we help the King, we gotta stop these guys!" Sora announced.

Donald quacked about hurrying before Xehanort left.

"You said it, Donald! Ahyuck!" The three (junior) heroes readied their weapons and charged.

* * *

><p>There he was. Sora versus 1000 Heartless. Donald and Goofy were too busy with their own battles, and he had no energy for Limit Form at the moment. Any other Drive Form or Summon couldn't be used either.<p>

"Looks like I'm on my own. … Come one, come all! Who wants a piece of Sora?"

Sora ran at the Armored Knights and Surveillance Robots, just bashing away with the Oathkeeper. A Surveillance Robot bumped into Sora's head by mistake and landed on the ground with its back to Sora.

"What's that switch?" Sora picked up the Heartless and pressed the switch, unleashing a Sparkle Ray that detonated a good chunk of the Armored Knights in front of him. "… This will be awesome."

Sora ran through the crowd, aiming his Heartless at any other Heartless he saw, which meant everywhere.

"Sparkle Ray! Sparkle Ray! Sparkle Ray! Sparkle Ray!"

To get to Sora, an Armored Knight stabbed the Surveillance Robot, but didn't go all the way through. Sora's response was to slam the robot into the ground, catching the knight off guard. He then finished the knight. More Armored Knights came up to Sora. The boy jumped onto the wall and leaped off, dive-stabbing all the Heartless. Somehow he had the energy to do the same attack four more times. After many similar attacks and more Sparkle Rays, Sora was just about finished.

"Phew… That's all of them…" A Surveillance Robot floated up to Sora, so he cast Thunder on it. "Now that's all of them…"

Donald and Goofy walked up to him.

"Hey guys…" Sora was out of breath. "I killed a thousand…"

"Good job, Sora! I killed two thousin', and Donald killed three thousin'. We all did good!"

Sora was disappointed. "… Let's just go."

* * *

><p>At the Dark Depths (a cliff, woohoo), Mickey was confronting Xemnas. Sora, Donald, and Goofy soon joined them.<p>

"Xehanort, you've got some explaining to do!" Mickey scolded.

"… Xehanort… I remember being him."

"Tell me where Kairi and Riku are!" demanded Sora.

Xemnas turned around. "Kairi… does not sound familiar. But for Riku's whereabouts… you should turn to His Majesty for answers."

Xemnas disappeared into a Dark Corridor, but Mickey jumped after him before Sora could find answers.

"… Way to go, suckers. You managed to fall right into their trap." a voice mocked. Sora and the others turned to find a redheaded Nobody. Axel.

"Gawrsh mister, who are you?"

"Well we've met, but I know you don't remember. The name's Axel. Got it memorized?"

"Alex, got it." Sora said.

"No, Axel. See? You didn't get it memorized!" Donald was annoyed and cut to the chase- quacking about the trap. "Oh the trap? Yeah, you messed up. Nice going, killing all the Heartless like Xemnas wants."

Sora was lost. "Xemnas… wants to get rid of the Heartless?"

"No. He doesn't want the Heartless gone, he wants a Keyblade wielder to defeat them. There's a difference. Got it memorized? As for why? It's because-"

"BLARGH! YOU KIDNAPPED KAIRI! GIVE HER BACK!" Sora remembered that Axel fit the description given to him by Hayner, Pence, and Olette.

"Kairi? … Oh that girl… I, uh… kinda lost her."

"Axel, you're in trouble." Saix's familiar voice was heard.

"Cheezit!" was Axel's parting word. Saix's form appeared before Sora and friends.

"Don't worry, he'll be made into a Dusk for this."

"Forget that, give Kairi back! Or at least let me see her!"

Saix raised an eyebrow. "Do you care about this girl?"

"Yeah! I traveled through all the worlds to find her, and I'd do it again!"

"… I don't believe you."

Sora sighed. He got down on his knees and begged. "Please let me see her. Please. … Come on. Please! Please! Please let me see her!"

"… You are pathetic. I won't let you see her."

Donald and Goofy slapped their own foreheads and Sora got up. "Oh come on, what do I gotta do, give you a back rub? I'll do it!"

Saix snapped his fingers and summoned some Armored Knights. "One thousand heartless… not a bad addition. But there must be more."

He snapped again, summoning more Heartless.

"For every Emblem Heartless you kill, Kingdom Hearts gains more power. And we become closer to realizing our goal." Saix explained.

"What? No way!" Sora was in disbelief.

Saix ignored him entirely. "Then we can exist at long last."

Maleficent teleported next to Saix and smacked him with her staff. "No! Taking the power of Kingdom Hearts? That's my idea! How dare you! I'm not above ruining a princess's life out of petty jealousy, but plagiarism? There must be a line drawn! Is nothing sacred?"

"Insolent fairy hag…" insulted the Nobody. Out of rage, Maleficent summoned some Soldier Heartless to take him out. However, they instead turned their attention to Sora.

"Heartless, not now! Kill Saix!" But they would not listen.

"The Heartless hold no further interest in you, Maleficent. I am stronger. Now Sora, slaughter these Heartless like you did so many before."

"B-but-"

"Screw that! If you Organization miscreants want Sora to slay Heartless, then Sora shouldn't be around to kill any more Heartless! Behold the powers of evil!" Maleficent cast a spell that teleported Sora, Donald, and Goofy far away. "That's what you get for stealing my plans!"

With that, Maleficent herself vanished.

"… Well I never expected that. I must alert everyone…"

* * *

><p>Leon and Cloud were watching from afar.<p>

"… Think they're all right?" Leon asked.

Cloud nodded. "Yeah they're pretty tough. I mean, they beat me once, and I'm awesome. Not even Sephiroth could beat me. There's no way they can lose after that." Cloud walked away, confident in the abilities of his friends.

* * *

><p>Where Nothing Gathers, the meeting place of Organization XIII. Saix joined the other four remaining members of the Organization, though only he and Xemnas were without hoods.<p>

"So… d'you tell Tiger about Kingdom Hearts?" asked Xigbar.

"Of course I did. The doubt will muddle his thoughts. And it's not like he's just going to stop fighting Heartless when there are innocent lives at stake."

"… We're nearly there." Xemnas mentioned. "In addition to the fact that Sora desires to finish us, we must consider the possibility of retiring him. From this point on, see to it that he meets his fate. Though we must try to get him to extract as many hearts as possible along the way."

"I'm going back to Beast's place, now." Xaldin teleported away. The only unidentified Organization member threw a die up and caught it.

"Now we play our final hand. Will the chips fall in our favor? Or will the ball land on the square that Sora called?"

"Dude, you mixed, like, three different casino games into one analogy." observed Xigbar. The man threw the die up again… and failed to catch it.

"I lose that round. … So what do we do about Demyx?" The other three did not show any interest in the subject. "I say. I know we lack hearts, but that's just heartless of you. I'm off. We'll see how Captain Jack takes it when I shuffle his deck. … That came out wrong." The other member disappeared.

* * *

><p>Sora woke up in a completely black space. Donald and Goofy were there, too. Donald quacked in joy when he saw Sora awake.<p>

"What… happened?"

"Well I'll be! Maleficent dun teleported us away from the Heartless!"

A cloaked figure ran past the trio and shoved a box into Donald's hands before teleporting away.

"That was… weird. Hey Donald, what's in the box?"

Donald opened it to find some Sea Salt Ice Cream and a photo of Hayner, Pence, Olete… and Roxas.

"Gawrsh, who's that fourth kid?"

The name came to Sora instantly. "Roxas." Donald was confused. "I'm not sure how I know his name."

Then Sora's Oathkeeper reacted to the ice cream. With it, he unlocked the Keyhole for wherever they were. With a flash of light, the three of them returned to the Gummi Ship.

* * *

><p>Sora spun his chair to face Donald and Goofy's chairs. "Guys, I've decided. Even though it helps the Organization, we have no choice but to fight the Heartless!"<p>

Donald and Goofy nodded.

"And on top of that, we've unlocked all the Keyholes we could find. I… really don't know where Wonderland and some other worlds went, but never mind! We've got to find Kairi and the King all over again! And Riku! And defeat the Heartless! On top of that, I'm pretty sure there were a lot of loose ends."

"Gawrsh Sora, are ya sayin' what we think yer sayin'?"

"I'm saying we should probably make our rounds through the worlds one more time. Sound good?"

Donald stuck his hand out, and Goofy put his hand on Donald's hand. Sora put his on theirs and they raised them into the air.

"Okay, let's go! First stop, back to Mulan's world!"

"Why there first?" Goofy asked.

"I dunno, I just like doing it in order."

Lo and behold, the Gummi Ship set course for the Land of Dragons once again.

**To be continued.**

* * *

><p>-Xemnas is supposed to be serious, but I he loosened up a bit while talking to the armor. I'll blame that on his personal feelings in regards to the armor.<p>

-Some scenes may not seem like they were in the game. This is because I added scenes that were in the Final Mix version of Kingdom Hearts II.


	14. The Fortune Cookie Crumbles

**Chapter 13: The Fortune Cookie Crumbles**

After months of unlocking Keyholes, fighting monsters, making jokes, and pointing out the global location of each world, Sora and friends have returned to the Land of Dragons. Last time they were there, they helped Mulan defeat the evil Shanyu. Sora, Donald, and Goofy found themselves in the village atop the mountain.

"So we're in China. Again."

"Goofy, that got old by the time we reached Agrabah. Speaking of the past, why hasn't anyone rebuilt the village yet?" Sora was confused. "Are they all dead?"

A cloaked man ran past the trio in a flash, and Donald reacted the loudest. Then Mulan came by.

"… Sora, Donald, Goofy! You're back! Have you seen a man in a-"

Sora nodded. "Yeah this way."

* * *

><p>Sora, Donald, Goofy, and Mulan were climbing the mountain.<p>

"Gawrsh Mulan, why are you after Organization XIII?"

"Who?" the woman asked.

"Well they're this group of people. One of them is obsessed with memorization, the other is the body of someone we killed once, and there was this weaker one that had magic music. … Oh and they all wear black coats."

"They don't sound familiar. I've heard that there was a spy in black, up here on the mountain. So I decided to find him. Shan Yu just kind of disappeared after we beat him all those months ago, so I'm wondering if he has anything to do with it."

"Naaah!" Sora reassured. But then he turned to Donald. "The Organization hasn't rubbed elbows with Maleficent's crowd or any world-specific villains, have they?"

Donald shook his head.

"Okay cool."

Suddenly a bunch of Rapid Thrusters swarmed the mountainside.

"Gawrsh!"

"Waaaaaaak!"

"Oh no!" Mulan shouted. She, Donald, and Goofy all went off to challenge the monsters. Sora tried to follow, but found himself staring down the cloaked man.

"Hey you! … Stop."

But the man did not stop. He pulled out a weapon that Sora found familiar. A sinister red bat wing of a sword called the Soul Eater.

"Hey… are you Riku?"

The cloaked figure started charging for Sora.

"Aw man Riku, it's been ages. Oh that reminds me, I met Santa and he said- WHOA!" The boy ducked under an attack and got back up. "Hey watch it, you almost hit me-" Sora got sent flying across the way. "Ow!"

"…" The cloaked one was silent as he approached Sora.

"Ow! What was that for? I thought we were frie- AAAH!" Sora jumped out of the way of a dark attack. "Okay that's it!" Sora summoned the Oathkeeper and annihilated the other fighter. "Now if you're willing to have a polite conversation-"

The other guy got up and ran away without showing any signs of damage.

"… Son of a gun. The worst part is, Riku actually would act like that."

Sora's party reunited with him.

"Sora, I know you feel a bit uncomferble 'bout fighting those Heartless, but ya can't just leave it all to Donald 'n me."

"No Goofy, I think I just got into a fight with Riku!"

"Pics or it didn't happen." said Goofy.

Mulan was confused. "Who's Riku?"

Sora's face lit up. "Oh he's this real cool guy who lived on my island and didn't afraid of anything!"

Donald leaned in to whisper to Mulan that Riku was Sora's best friend. Sora was sensitive when it came to his friends.

"Woo, and I thought my girl was weird." Mushu came out of nowhere, and Mulan noticed.

"You've been strangely quiet this whole time, Mushu."

"Well that's because… because… because… Hey look a giant monster!"

The party looked over and noticed a giant Heartless that resembled a dragon.

"_Phew, there actually was a monster, thank goodness._" Mushu whispered to himself. The Heartless flew towards the Imperial City.

"Aiya… We have to hurry!" Mulan rushed off to the village.

"It sure is a good thing we can move from the top of this mountain down to the city in only a few minutes!" Goofy noticed.

* * *

><p>In the palace, the figure who may or may not have been Riku had just beaten Shang in a fight. Then he slowly ascended the staircase.<p>

"Your Excellency, there are some people you need to pass a message on to."

The Emperor yawned. "Pics or it didn't happen, lad."

* * *

><p>In the intervening time, Sora's group had fought their way down the mountain and finally made it back to the city. Yao, Ling, and Chien Po were there to greet them.<p>

"Oh, it's Mulan and her friends from before!" Chien Po announced, catching the attention of the other two men.

"Badabing, badaboom, ah?" Yao was still speaking gibberish, even in Chinese. Ling shook his head.

"Cloaky's in the palace, if you're looking for him."

Sora tilted his head. "Say, why didn't you guys do anything to stop him?"

"Huh?" Ling asked.

"You three don't look like you put up any struggle as he headed for the palace. Why?"

"Ohhh!" Ling, Chien Po, and Yao said at once. Then Ling spoke.

"Well you see, the reason for that is-" Ling immediately ran away from Sora, followed by Yao. Chien Po shrugged and walked away.

"…" Sora was about to ask Mulan a question, but she interrupted him.

"No, I don't know what goes through their heads."

The gang ran up to the gate and found out the hard way that it was locked.

"Hey! This door shouldn't be locked! Bad palace, very bad! You unlock yourself immediately!" Sora scolded. Even Goofy had to give him a look of confusion. In other news, Mulan was sizing up a pillar near the entrance.

"I could climb that."

"Whuzzat?" Goofy asked.

"The pillar. We could climb that and find another way in. I remember one time I taught that to Yao and the others after I got them to cross-dress."

Mulan had said that with a completely straight face. Sora, Donald, and Goofy all looked at each other in confusion, processing this information.

"Well…" started Sora, "all right. As long as we don't have to wear dresses."

* * *

><p>"Waaaah! This is annoying!"<p>

"Waaak!"

"Gawrsh, this pillar sure is slippery!"

Mulan made it to the top while the other three were still struggling at the bottom. "Remember, guys! Strength and discipline!"

* * *

><p>Inside the palace, there was a cloaked person. His frame was a bit different from the man in the mountains, but Sora would not think to notice that.<p>

"Riku, is that you?"

He removed his hood to reveal an older man with scars, an eye patch over his right eye, and a ponytail of graying hair.

"Nope, never heard of him!" Xigbar said, laughing. "Don't forget my Happy Meal, now." said the Nobody. A bunch of Nobodies with guns all teleported in.

Sora's party all pulled out their weapons and began to do battle with the Snipers. All the while, Xigbar jogged out of the palace.

"Hoo… I should probably get a bit more exercise… hoo…"

"Take this!" Sora attacked one Sniper, but got shot by another one. The bullet warped Sora to another place in the room. "Huh?"

Donald ran towards one and set it on fire while electrocuting another, but got shot by yet another one, putting him at the entrance, much to the duck's confusion.

Mulan was having much better luck, going after the Snipers one by one. The final Sniper was ready to shoot her from behind, but Mushu came out from hiding.

"Oh no you ain't!" He spit a fireball at the Sniper, leaving it distracted long enough for Sora to destroy it.

"Quick, let's get to the Emperor!" Mulan said. Sora nodded.

* * *

><p>Sora and friends rushed into the throne room. Out of all of them, Goofy stayed in the doorway. Then he started yelling.<p>

"Hey guess what, Emperor! There's a monster coming!"

"Huh. So the guy that beat Shang was right. … You should go take care of it then, right?"

"Yes, your Excellency." Mulan bowed. Sora, Donald, and Goofy figured they should do that as well. Shang decided to throw in a fun fact.

"That man was the man we've heard about in the city."

Sora spoke up. "Say, he wasn't chumming around with some surfer-sounding guy, right?"

"Not to my knowledge. … What's a surfer?"

"Okay cool." Sora completely ignored Shang's question.

* * *

><p>In the town, Sora, Donald, Goofy, and Mulan found themselves up against the giant Heartless from before. It roared.<p>

"_Let's go!_" Sora merged with Donald and became Wisdom Form Sora. The blue clad boy slid around, firing nonspecific magic at the Storm Rider.

"That's just like the transformation he did last time." observed Mulan.

"Yeah, he's got a lot more of those, now." Goofy told her.

"Hey I think I've got the movement of this one down!" Sora noticed he was then headed for a wall. "Uh oh. Hrr!" With a bit of willpower, Sora managed to change his course and finally took control of his gliding feet. "All right Heartless, you won't be hurting anyone else today!"

"Imma gonna hurt yew- Waaahaha-hooey!" A whirlwind picked Goofy up and he fell flat onto the ground. "Yowch!"

Mulan noticed that the whirlwind remained. She quickly ran towards it.

"Mulan, what're you doin' girl? Don't run into that thing, who knows- Gyaaaah!" Mushu panicked as Mulan (and he himself) were carried up by the whirlwind.

More aware of what was going on, Mulan aimed her landing, and landed on the Storm Rider's back, knocking it to the ground, and ready for more punishment from Wisdom Sora and Goofy. The boy called out to the warrior woman.

"Mulan!"

"For China!"

Both of them did a combo attack on the Storm Rider, launching him into the air. Mulan turned to the dragon on her shoulder.

"Mushu!"

"I'll handle this!" He spit fireballs at the Storm Rider."

"This is it!"

"For China!"

"I'm on fire!"

Storm Rider got caught up in an explosion much like a firework. The monster finally met its end with one final shot from Sora before the boy split back into himself and Donald.

The Storm Rider flew up to try to escape, but lacked any energy left in its wings. It slowly descended, almost about to crash into Mulan.

"I should move…"

"Mulan, no!" Shang ran out and put himself in between the Heartless and Mulan, but the dragon faded away at the last moment. The heart it had contained fled towards Kingdom Hearts, furthering the Organization's goal.

Mulan and Shang noticed their collective safety and embraced, which did not go unnoticed from Sora and his group.

"Giggity."

The lovebirds then realized what they were doing and backed off from each other, whistling innocently. Fireworks went off.

"Eh, I found the fireworks at last, ah?" Yao's voice could be heard from somewhere else.

* * *

><p>Sora, Donald, Goofy, and Mulan stood before the Emperor, who was on his throne, as well as Shang. Literally. Shang was acting as a footrest.<p>

"So… what's going on here?" Sora asked.

"I lost a bet with the Emperor. Long story." explained Shang.

"So thanks for saving China. Again. Anything I can do for you guys?"

Donald immediately thought of some treasure, while Goofy was getting hungry. Sora had other things in mind, however.

"Could you please tell us more about this man in black who came to see you?"

"Oh that's it?"

"Well it'd be helpful. And it's the only practical request." Donald went to cry in the corner while Goofy threw away a pair of chopsticks he had just pulled out.

"All right. He warned me that someone had corrupted a dragon, and that I should prepare my troops. Or rather, that he _would_ have told me to prepare my troops. The man went on to mention that three wise men had recently appeared, and that they were the ones who would take care of the dragon."

"Wise guys, actually." Shang said. "But he was right about them taking out the monster."

The Emperor looked around. "… That reminds me, has anyone seen Chi-Fu around? It seems weird for him not to be near me."

"So, Riku's hangin' out with that there Organization XIII? Gawrsh Sora, you don't think he's evil again, do ya?"

"Nah! It's probably just a phase."

"So Fa Mulan, you got any requests before I go back to… whatever it is that I do all day, again?"

Mulan bowed. "Your Majesty, may Captain Li Shang have a vacation?"

"No. Better idea, you serve alongside him? Eh? Eh?"

Mulan considered it. "Yes. Thank you." Shang stood up and went over to Mulan. Sora shed a subtle tear, happy over Riku's health, as Donald returned from his corner of woe.

It seemed like everything had finally come together in the Land of Dragons.

_**THE LAND OF DRAGONS**_

* * *

><p><strong>To be continued.<strong>


	15. Whirlwind Adventure

**Review Responses:**  
>Dracula X - Good to be back. Yeah I liked the "pics or didn't happen" joke too.<p>

(Anonymous) - Nah, Sora's not turning into Quagmire, I just couldn't think of a better thing to put in that spot. Also, ouch that's violent.

(Anonymous) - Someone drowning? What?

Herochan1313 - Thank you for the compliments. I'm glad you still enjoy the story.

* * *

><p><strong>Chapter 14: Whirlwind Adventure<strong>

Sora was pondering things aboard the Gummi Ship. "So where'd we go after Mulan's world?"

Donald quacked that they went back home to Disney Castle.

"Naw Donald, that ain't right! We went to the Underworld and met Auron! 'Member?"

Sora shook his head. "Wasn't there some other world before either of those? Dark, kind of boring. … Oh!"

"Beast's Castle!" the three said at once. With that, they all set course for the castle of their friend, Beast.

* * *

><p>Inside Beast's Castle, Belle was wearing a fancy dress and talking to a dresser drawer.<p>

**Name: Dresser Drawer**  
><strong>Worst Fear: Termites<strong>

"I hope your evening with the Master goes well!"

"I have a good feeling about this."

* * *

><p>Sora, Donald, and Goofy had just waltzed right into the castle, and found Beast in the entrance hall. He was wearing a nice suit, pacing.<p>

"Oh hey Beast, what's up?"

"What are you three doing here?"

Donald quacked that they were on the lookout for Nobodies. Beast groaned.

"Does it have to be tonight? Tonight's kind of a special one for me."

"Gawrsh Beast, is this related to the fact that yur wearin' fancy clothes?"

Beast just stared at Goofy. "… No. No Goofy, I'm just wearing this because it's Formal Saturday- Of course there's a reason I'm dressed up!"

Belle came down the stairs, equally dressed up.

"Oh! You're all back? Bonjour."

Then beauty and the beast greeted each other, and went into the ballroom.

"Gee Sora, ya think we should come back another time?"

"Yeah, I- Donald!"

Donald was running towards the ballroom.

"No! Donald, that's an unsolicited behavioral pattern!" Sora practiced his vocabulary.

* * *

><p>Lumiere, Cogsworth, Mrs. Potts, and Chip were speaking to Belle and Beast in the ballroom.<p>

"Hoh-hoh! Enjoy the evening!"

Donald barged in, followed by Sora and Goofy.

"Sorry, we just came for Donald, don't let us spoil anything!"

"Oh, you guys have nothing on what _I'm_ about to do." a familiar voice echoed through the room.

"Xaldin!" Beast called out. The Whirlwind Lancer snapped his fingers, creating Dragoon Nobodies out of thin air. Beast, Sora, Donald, and Goofy prepared for combat.

"Beast, I'm going to take something of yours before the night is up. Something you care about very much. And you will never see it again."

Beast roared.

"Ta-ta." Xaldin disappeared in a Dark Corridor.

The Nobodies started attacking, and Sora pulled out the Ukelele Charm. "Let's see if this works! _Light!_"

"Sora!" The boy's allies disappeared as Stitch came from nowhere, and jumped onto Sora's face. The alien kept licking him happily.

"Hey, stop! Stop, that tickles! Haha!"

Stitch let go of Sora and had the boy aim his Oathkeeper at the enemies. Then the alien pulled out a gun and started firing, causing Sora's weapon to have a similar effect. The two of them made short work of the Nobodies.

"Aloha!" Stitch ran off, allowing Donald, Goofy, and Beast to reappear. Just then, Belle and the servants returned from the balcony.

"Everyone, you're okay!" Belle was relieved.

"Gawrsh, looks like Xaldin didn't take Belle after all! Well I guess we sure showed him!"

"… Oh no! The rose!" Beast ran off. Belle soon followed.

"Huh. Wonder what's with those two."

Donald told Sora that they should go see if Beast was doing okay. The boy nodded.

"Yeah I guess that'd be good."

* * *

><p>By the time Sora's trio made it into Beast's room, they had noticed Beast stomping around.<p>

"Beast, it'll be okay."

"THIS IS ALL YOUR FAULT, BLARGLELARGLELARGLE!"

"… What?" Belle did not get the nonsense noise Beast had made.

"My rose! He took it! He took my rose!"

"Surely you can just find another-"

A loud roar reverberated throughout the chamber, catching Donald and Goofy off guard.

"It was enchanted!"

Sora stepped in.

"Hey Beast, you'd better check yourself before you wreck yourself! This isn't Belle's fault, it's Xaldin's!"

Beast sighed and looked away in shame. "You're right. … I want all of you to leave this castle. I suck too much to love another, or be loved in return. I hear there's this guy in town who's good at everything, you might like him, Belle."

Beast went off to sulk in the corner, so Goofy took that as a cue to tug on Sora's shoulder. Sora nodded and turned to Belle.

"Hey Belle, we've got this, don't worry! We just gotta find Xaldin!"

Goofy whispered to Donald. "Ya think that Gaston guy is workin' with Xaldin?" Donald shook his head in response.

* * *

><p>As Belle returned to her bedroom, Sora's gang found the servants talking to each other.<p>

"If only the Master had composed himself!"

Mrs. Potts tried to comfort him. "Now, now. All we need to do is find the rose, and then we'll be peaches and cream!"

"So what's so special about that there rose, anyhow?" asked Goofy.

"Hoho! It, how you say, keeps track of how much longer the Master has to love and be loved in return! I thought I may have mentioned that already."

"And if he does not do it in time, we'll all stay like this forever." added Cogsworth.

This took Sora by surprise.

"Oh. Well that sounds like something Beast ought to avoid. C'mon guys, let's go cheer him up so he can get the rose back."

Donald and Goofy nodded. The two turned right back around and entered the Beast's room.

"Beast, you gotta go after Xaldin!"

"I don't wanna. I suck."

"Gawrsh Beast, yer better than that!"

"Yeah! Remember that time you clawed your way to Hollow Bastion, all because you wanted to see Belle again? You were awesome! That's the Beast I became friends with!"

Donald quacked.

"Donald's right, Beast! Cogsworth, Lumiere, and everyone else are all riding on this, and you're always happy when you and Belle are together! Don't you want to hold on to that happiness? Doesn't Belle make you happy?"

Beast stopped to think about this. "You're… you're right! Xaldin's using me! Let's go, Sora, Donald, Goofy. We're going to kick Xaldin off of my property. _Permanently._"

"That's the Beast I know!" Suddenly, Sora gained the Rumbling Rose keychain. "Hmm. Maybe I should equip that."

* * *

><p>Sora's group and Beast returned to the entrance hall and found Xaldin on a high vantage point. He held the rose.<p>

"So you've shown up. I was getting bored up here."

"Xaldin!" Beast shouted. The man removed his hood, revealing massive sideburns and wildly braided hair.

"My goodness, you could lose a child in there!" Sora observed.

"I have actually had that happen once."

Donald angrily quacked at Xaldin, asking about his motivation.

"Kingdom Hearts. Once we get its power, we can truly exist, instead of this paradoxical limbo we have now. I mean, I'm not very interested. But why not, right? So Beast, we need your Heartless. And your Nobody."

"What does his Nobody have to do with-"

Sora was interrupted by the appearance of several Dragoons. Sora summoned the Rumbling Rose, as he, Donald, Goofy, and Beast started fighting.

Goofy turned to Sora. "Hey Sora, wanna Drive?"

"I can't, Goofy. I'm still recharging from summoning Stitch. We'll just have to do this the old-fashioned way!"

Sora and Goofy started attacking in unison, culminating in launching Goofy like a rocket. One Dragoon was about to use Jump on Sora, but Beast stepped in and attacked the monster.

"Beast!"

"Get out!" the prince yelled toward the Nobodies. The two attacked for a while, before Beast put his hand on Sora's shoulder. The boy nodded, and they both roared at once, destroying all nearby Dragoons.

"Waaa!" Donald crushed one Dragoon under a chunk of ice. Then the magician used Fira to melt the ice, and Thundara to electrocute the wet Nobody. Donald felt pretty proud of himself.

One more Dragoon was about to attack Sora, but the boy felt a strange sensation.

"… Learn!" Sora held two fingers to his head and then had an epiphany, confusing the Dragoon. "Hey, I have an idea!" Sora jumped into the air, and came down hard, stabbing the Nobody from above with the Rumbling Rose, destroying it.

"What was that?" Beast asked.

"I don't know, it just kind of came to me. I think it'll be useful for fighting any other Nobodies like that. Anyway-" Sora turned to see if Xaldin was still there. He was not. "Figures."

Donald pointed towards the front doors, which were ajar. The party hurried outside.

* * *

><p>Belle was out on the balcony, when she noticed Sora's gang and Beast out in the courtyard. Then she noticed that the rose was by her feet. She gasped.<p>

"Beast!" From down in the courtyard, everyone looked up to see Belle holding the rose. "I've found the rose!"

Xaldin dropped down and grabbed Belle.

"I told you that tonight I'd be taking away something you value, Beast. Farewell." Xaldin summoned a small updraft to carry him a short ways to aid in his escape.

Beast roared, and followed Xaldin towards the drawbridge. Beast smashed through the door that was blocking the bridge.

"Oh yeah!" Sora said as that happened.

"No… don't say that while breaking through the wall… memories… oh…" Xaldin's old fear of the Kool-Aid man had resurfaced, making him dizzy.

"Xaldin! Release her at once!"

The Whirlwind Lancer recovered from his fear. "Well if you insist, Beast. But I am a Nobody of my word. I _will_ take something you hold dear. If not Belle, then this rose. If not this rose, then Belle. Are you certain of your decision?"

"Oh yeah!" Sora said again.

"GAAH! Stop saying tha- AAAAAH!" While Xaldin was fixed on Sora, Belle hit him in the chest with her elbow, grabbed the rose, and ran back to the castle.

"Gawrsh, Xaldin fell for yer trick purty easily, Sora!"

"You… you took advantage of my memories of fear?" Xaldin would be furious if he had any emotions. "I can see why the Superior has ordered us to eliminate you." Xaldin summoned six spears with his powers of wind. He held two in each hand, while two more floated around him.

"Where's the fun in this?" the Nobody asked.

Xaldin started attacking by stabbing and swinging all around with his spears, covering a lot of space on the bridge.

"Rrrrr!" Beast tried to take a few shots at him, but Xaldin was too quick. Donald and Goofy were having similarly bad luck. Then Sora had an idea.

"Hey! I'll try that new strategy! Learn!"

"What the- What did you just do?" Xaldin asked.

"Learn! Learn, learn, learn, learn!" Sora learned the Jump technique even more times.

"Stop it! Stop it at once and take me serious- OW!" Sora had used Jump on Xaldin. "You wretched- OW!" Sora then used Jump four more times. "You'll wear the face of despair!" Xaldin threw all of his spears upward and jumped.

"Gawrsh, what's he gonna do now?"

The spears all joined together into a long, serpentine platform. Xaldin went below the bridge. Sora, Donald, Goofy, and Beast all went to the edge to see where Xaldin had gone… though they did not notice him rising up on the opposite side, with the head of his joint spears now resembling a dragon.

"Now!"

"Huh?" Sora's party turned around and got blasted with the full force of Xaldin's attack.

"Yahaha-hooey!"

"WAAAK!"

"Xal… din…"

Sora noticed that all his allies had fallen. "No! It can't end he-" Sora was smacked with another spear, knocking him out. Xaldin's spears returned to normal, and the Nobody walked over to Sora's body.

"Now…" He readied all six of his spears for the final strike. "Hold still."

"Sora! Don't give up!"

"… Who said that?" Xaldin wondered out loud.

Mickey Mouse jumped in, attacking Xaldin on the back of the head as he came into the battle.

"It's my turn now!"

"Who are you?" asked Xaldin, rubbing the back of his head.

"You'd better stop, if you know what's good for ya!"

"Fine, I shall end you as well." Xaldin leapt back into the air and tried his dragon strategy again.

"Light, give me power!" Mickey started charging up power. The first part of the Pearl spell was complete. "Oh boy!"

"Who said 'oh yeah'?" the paranoid Nobody asked. "Quit mocking me!"

"Ha-huh! What's wrong, you lose your focus when I say 'oh yeah'? (Technically I didn't even say that, but okay.)"

"Shut up! You foolish creature, I will-" Mickey attacked Xaldin a few times. "AAAAH! STOP!"

"Light, give me power!"

"So now you're just going to ignore me? I'll show-"

"Oh yeah!"

"STOP IT! STOP, STOP, STOP-"

Part two of Pearl was complete. Mickey attacked Xaldin a few more times, and started charging Pearl for the final time.

"You have made a mockery of Organization XIII! Now I will-"

"Oh ye- WAAAH!" Mickey jumped out of the way of a spear attack. "Guess I can't distract you with that, anymore, huh?"

"Nope."

"I'm done anyway! The rest is up to you, Sora!" Mickey cast the spell and leapt away.

"Curses!"

Sora and his friends all woke up. Beast wasted no time, and mauled Xaldin.

"AAAH! Sto- OW!" Beast kept going, and then Sora ran up to him.

"Learn!"

"No…"

"Aaaand…"

"NONONO-"

"JUMP!" Sora used Jump on Xaldin, finishing him off.

"Is this… the end?" Xaldin dropped all of his weapons at once.

"Oh yeah it is." Sora answered. Xaldin started to disappear.

"NOOOOOOO-" There was nothing left. The four fighters went back to the courtyard and found Belle and all the others waiting for them.

"Hoho, that was, how you say, awesome!" Lumiere was excited.

"Here, Beast." Belle handed the rose over to Beast, but he refused it.

"I'm just glad that Xaldin did not hurt you."

Everyone started smiling.

"B-Belle… uh…" Beast was getting bashful.

"Master, please. Compose yourself. Deep breaths!"

"Hoho, you can do it!"

"It's easy." said Mrs. Potts.

Sora nodded. "Compared to Xaldin, this is easy!"

Donald quacked inspirationally.

"Oh yeah!" the Kool-Aid Man cheered Beast on, the same as all the others.

Beast nodded. "Belle… would you… would you please stay here? With me?"

Belle smiled. "Yes!"

She took Beast's arms and they started dancing, like they had originally wanted to, all along.

"Awww." Goofy said to himself.

"I think Belle really got a kick out of hitting Xaldin." Sora said.

"No, I watched from behind the door. It was an elbow jab, not a kick." Cogsworth corrected.

"No Cogsworth, it means… aw it's not important. So it would appear that it was the beast that killed the Nobody. … No that joke still doesn't work."

Mrs. Potts was smiling. "I think they're going to be all right!"

Everyone watched, happily and approvingly at how Beast and Belle were happy. Sora turned to Lumiere.

"We don't want to interrupt their special moment. Think you could give them our regards when they're done?"

Lumiere bowed. "It would be our pleasure. And please, do not forget to visit every once in a while, no?"

"All right. Yeah."

With that, Sora, Donald, and Goofy quietly made their way out.

_**BEAST'S CASTLE**_

* * *

><p><strong>To be continued.<strong>

-I wanted to portray Xaldin as a complete monster. But I think the Kool-Aid Man phobia kind of undermines it. Also, I had a lot more fun writing his battle than I thought I would have.


	16. Everybody Loves Auron

**Review Responses:**

Dr-J333 - I actually considered having the Kool-Aid Man save Sora instead of Mickey at some point. But then I changed my mind.

Dracula X - The Kool-Aid Man joke based off the joke in the last Beast's Castle chapter. Though actually, that joke was based off of a comic I saw. I might have linked to it, I'm not sure.

Herochan1313 - Okay I guess I'll explain the joke behind Xaldin fearing the Kool-Aid Man for you, and in case anyone who didn't review is still wondering. Spoiler-free version: Someone joked that the Kool-Aid Man broke into Dilan's house once, and he's been afraid ever since. I liked it and made it a part this story's Xaldin.

Mizuki Yumeno - You reviewed in time to get on this response bit, I'm uploading this on the same day I got your response. Anyway, a review for the Land of Dragons chapter randomly mentioned drowning, and my response was being confused about it.

* * *

><p><strong>Chapter 15: Everybody Loves Auron<strong>

Sora, Donald, and Goofy had returned to Olympus. Though once again, they were actually in the Underworld.

"Dang it, I keep forgetting where to put us!" Sora lamented. "… Well anyway, I don't see any Heartless or Nobodies."

Donald quacked, pointing out a building in the distance. There were lights shining up from it.

"That's the Underdrome." said Auron. Sora and Goofy's eyes lit up. "Zeus didn't like the senseless violence, so he had it shut down. Either that, or he lost a bet."

"Gawrsh Auron, how do you know so much about that there Underdrome?"

"When you're down here as long as me, you hear things."

Sora took an opening. "Speaking of being here, what happened to you after fighting Cerberus?"

"Not important."

"Yes sir." Sora replied, which annoyed Donald a bit. "So how'd it open again?"

"Well from what I've heard, someone went into the Underworld Cave a few months back, and undid the seal."

Sora was surprised. "That guy sounds like a jerk." He was completely unaware that this was his fault.

"I'm out." Auron walked away. Before Sora or Goofy could follow him, they both noticed Hercules and Meg by the entrance to the Underworld. The two of them and Donald ran over.

"Hey Herc, how are things?"

"Sad… so sad…" Hercules had angst.

Meg rolled her eyes. "Really, nothing's changed since you guys left."

"Hey no sad faces, now!" a voice echoed through the cave. Hades appeared in a puff of smoke. "Today's a wonderful day! The grand re-opening of the Underdrome! How could you not like that?"

"Hades, I am seriously not in the mood right now."

"Well lucky for you, I have just the thing! You compete in my Underdrome! I mean sure, it's a little differently-shaped, the lighting's worse, but hey! More fighting!" Hades walked over to Hercules and put his hand on the hero's shoulder. "Think of it! Cheering fans! Cheering fans, everywhere."

"Get out of here, Hades! Nobody likes you!" Sora yelled.

"Yeah whatever kid, grownups are talking." then the Lord of the Dead turned back to Hercules. "And hey! If you don't want to fight, then lose! No more suffering, no more fighting, I won't bother you anymore-" Hades turned to the side. "Not to mention you won't bother me-" he said quietly, "-Everybody wins."

Sora was not done with Hades. "More like you win!"

Hades sighed. "Okay, heh, stop it now. Seriously, you're annoying me, kid. Now…"

Hades ran over and pointed both arms towards the Underdrome.

"Look at it. Just look! Isn't it a marvel? The ultimate in arenas, the Underdrome! Patent-pending. All of the most brutal monsters and warriors coming together in one ring to win the big prize at the end: the Hades Cup!"

"Gawrsh, I could use a Hades Cup for mah mantle." said Goofy. Donald stared at him in disbelief.

"And _juuuuust_ so Mr. Bigshot here doesn't get any cold feet… - tootles!"

Hades disappeared, leaving Pain and Panic in his place.

"UM… HI! SO, YOU GONNA ENTER THE HADES CUP TOURNAMENT?"

"Please say yes! He'll throw a fireball if we don't get you in! Errr… we'll throw in some fabulous prizes if you win!" Panic tried sweetening the deal.

Pain added, "AND, UHHH… WE'LL SEE THAT YOU DON'T DIE IF YOU LOSE!"

"Hmm… What do you guys think?" asked Sora. Donald and Goofy nodded. "All right."

"THEN YOU GET TO FIGHT TEAM SPIN-STRIKE!"

"Gawrsh guys, look!" Goofy pointed at the registrations. "Auron's fightin' too! I hope we don't gotta fight 'im."

* * *

><p><span>ROUND 1<span>

Sora, Donald, Goofy, and Hercules found themselves fighting quite a few Heartless. Some were spiky, some liked to spin, all were easy to kill.

"I'm just terrible, now." moaned Hercules.

"Herc, you gotta snap out of it! You're doing great!"

"Sora, I didn't kill a single Heartless. That makes me useless."

"Well you were just kind of standing around, the whole time."

Hercules argued back. "Because I'm useless."

"So you're useless because you didn't fight. And you didn't fight because you're useless? That's… insipid."

"You wouldn't understand." Hercules said.

ROUND 2

Team Bad Alert was the next Heartless mob. Sora and Donald teamed up to unleash fireworks, causing each of the Heartless to meet their ends.

* * *

><p>The team returned to the Underworld entrance, and all but Hercules were beaming with pride.<p>

"Gawrsh, now that we're on our way to the finals, we'll be real heroes in no time!"

"You said it, Goofy!" Sora stated, as Donald nodded.

Hercules was slouching. "I still feel like garbage. I'll try not to mess up during the fight. Speaking of which, there's the opponent right now."

Hercules pointed to Auron, as the latter was headed towards the Cave of the Dead. There was something off about him.

"Hey Auron, what's up?" asked Sora. Auron stared blankly.

"I don't believe we've met. Regardless, I will defeat my opponent." the dead man entered the cave.

"What gives? Auron ignored us a lot, but he wouldn't just flat-out pretend we've never met! C'mon guys, let's go see what's up."

* * *

><p>Sora, Donald, and Goofy all snuck into the Cave of the Dead after Auron. Each of them quickly found different stalagmites to hide behind, as they listened to Auron… and Hades.<p>

"Okay, now tell me what you did wrong." Hades said.

"I exist."

"That's right, you do! But hey, no worries. All you gotta do is beat Hercules, and then we're cool. Got it?"

"Yes… defeat Hercules."

"Oh and that key brat and Donald Duck, too. … Also Goofy, I guess. Be kinda weird to leave him out after killing the other two."

"But you said I only had to kill Hercules."

"Yes very observant of you, but now I'm saying you've gotta kill his whacko friends too."

"N-No."

Hades sighed. He slammed one hand on Auron's shoulder, and used the other hand to summon and then hold a doll of Auron. Both hands started glowing.

"Kill Hercules and his friends. Got it?"

"Y-y-yes."

"Yes _who_?"

"Yes, Lord Hades."

"Atta boy. Now run along. Run along now!" Hades taunted, as Auron marched away. Sora, Donald, and Goofy made sure not to reveal their locations. When he passed and Hades left, the three came out of hiding.

"Oh no, we have to snap Auron out of it!" said the boy. His companions agreed.

* * *

><p>"Hey Auron, can we talk for a minute?" Sora asked, back in the Underworld's entrance. Auron's response was to hop onto the boat with Pain and Panic, and head to the Underdrome.<p>

"Aw shucks. I like Mr. Auron, but I don't wanna have 'im kill me."

"What's this, now?" asked Hercules.

"Herc, it's terrible! Hades has a statue that he's using to control Auron! We've gotta destroy it!"

Hades was suddenly behind Sora.

"So you're planning on destroying my property, eh? Can't say that's very noble of you, considering you're trying to get me to swallow the fact that you're supposed to be some kinda hero. Besides! If you've conveniently forgotten, you're still in the tournament!"

"Then we'll quit your game, Hades!" Sora felt confident.

"Well all right if you insist…" Hades started giving an evil smirk. "Of course, I can't say Meg would approve."

"Then_ I'll_ stay." announced Hercules.

"Hmm. All right then, sounds good." Hades disappeared in a puff of smoke. Then Hercules turned to Sora.

"I'll try to buy you guys some time. You guys can handle it, I'm sure."

Hades reappeared. "Oh by the way, this arrangement is only good as long as the juniors here agree to fight the winner."

"What?" Everyone else was stumped.

Hades insisted. "Going once… going twice-" Donald quacked at Hades, agreeing. "You, my wonderful water foul, have yourself a deal."

Hades then snapped his fingers, summoning the ferry operated by Pain and Panic. The two gods hopped in and sailed to the Underdrome.

"Okay guys, let's save Auron!"

* * *

><p>In the Valley of the Dead, Sora found a skateboard. "Neat!" He tried hopping on, and wiped out almost instantly. "Not neat!"<p>

* * *

><p>They made it to the room where Hades usually operates, and found the Auron doll. Donald quacked with joy and grabbed it.<p>

**_Hey guys, I really don't think this thing's gonna work. I mean, aren't more people just gonna die later on down the line?_**

**_Yeah. What's the big deal?_**

**_Well wouldn't that kind of make your deaths pointless?_**

**_… Shut up, Auron._**

Donald was confused and gave the doll to Sora. He heard the voices then.

"… Huh. That was weird." Sora said. "Wonder what that was all about. Here, you try it." He passed the doll to Goofy, with the same effect.

"Huh. I wonder if this is what belongs in Auron's heart."

Donald nodded his head. Suddenly, they were surrounded by Dusks.

"Oh no, not the Nobodies! We don't have time for this! _Light_!" Sora transformed into Master Sora, absorbing Donald and Goofy. He wielded Rumbling Rose and Photon Debugger.

The Dusks hissed, but Sora utterly destroyed them.

"Hang on, Auron. You too, Herc." Master Sora grabbed the Auron doll and began a mad dash back to the Underdrome. "… Say, how can I transform even though I gave the Olympus Stone back to Hercules?"

* * *

><p>Hades was laughing his head off watching Hercules struggle to face up to Auron. When it seemed to finally be the hero's darkest hour, Master Sora ran in.<p>

"Auron, catch!" He threw the doll. Auron looked up.

"Huh?" The doll bopped Auron on the head and exploded. "… Huh? What's going on?"

The man looked around. "I'm… fighting? And…" He finally realized what had happened. "Oh that Hades is going down."  
>Hades stood up from his seat, outraged. "What's the deal with this? No audience interference! That's against the rules!"<p>

"Sora… thank you. And wherever your friends are, I'm sure they helped."

"AURON!" Hades entered his red mode. "What's the big idea! Are you _trying_ to stay my prisoner for all eternity? Look, just get rid of Wonderboy, and you're good to go! What do you want, money? A bigger sword? I can get you money or a bigger sword!"

Auron scoffed. "I told you. This is _my_ story." At this point, Hades has had it.

"Oh? It's your story, is it? Fine! Here's a blurb for the back cover for your story, then. Just for you!" Hades snapped his fingers, and now Meg was levitating over the river of souls.

"Hercules, help!"

"Meg!" Hercules was surprised. "Hades, you let her go this instant!"

"Hey, I'm not the bad guy here. You knew the risks, and yet all of you continued to break my rules. In a funny kind of way, it's really _your_ fault. But if anything, I aim to please, so I'll let her go. Happy?" Hades snapped his fingers, dropping Meg into the river. "There, I let her go."

"No, Meg! Not again!" Hercules ran toward the edge of the ring and jumped out, then made way for Hades. He ran past the god and jumped in after Meg.

"Well, looks like he took care of himself." Hades joked. He turned around.

"You still have me to deal with!" said Master Sora. Auron pulled out his weapon as well.

"I guess you'd be an all right victory lap." Hades entered his red mode and started hurling fireballs all over the place.

It took all of Sora's enhanced skills just to avoid getting hit. Auron was not having as hard a time as Sora, but he found that he was still unable to harm Hades. Then Donald and Goofy emerged from Sora, turning the boy back to normal and making him an easier target for Hades.

"Oh yeah. I'm gonna feel _real_ good about this." said the Lord of the Dead.

"Oh no, we still can't hurt him?"

"Well it _is_ his domain." Auron reminded the boy.

Then Pegasus appeared behind Hades and licked him.

"… I'm sorry, what?" Hades was confused. "What was that? You licked me? Hello, I'm Hades, this is the Underworld, _YOU DO NOT LICK ME._"

"Hey Hades." Hercules said, standing next to Pegasus. Meg was beside him. On top of all of that, Hercules was glowing.

"Oh hey. Anyway- Wait, what?" Hades just realized that Hercules and Meg were beside him. Hades had the most outrageous, exaggerated expression of exasperation.

"Thanks for that, Hades. When I risked my life to save Meg, I remembered what it means to be a hero."

Meg smiled and hopped onto Pegasus's back, and rode to safety. Hades was dumbfounded.

"So… Problem, Hades?" Hercules cracked his knuckles.

"Oh that's it!" Hades turned red. "Everybody dies!" Sora, Donald, Goofy, Auron, and Hercules all readied themselves for battle. "Feel the heat!"

Hades started throwing more fireballs. Hercules was able to take one fireball straight on and suffer no damage. He smiled.

"You won't stop a true hero!" He conjured to spheres of Olympian power. "Sora, now!"

"Right!"

With the Keyblade, Sora swung the Keyblade at the spheres, knocking both into Hades and turning him blue.

"Ow! What… did you do to me?"

"Auron!" Sora cried out. The boy and Auron both got back-to-back and did a spin attack on Hades.

"Ow! Hey, cut it out!"

The two did a few more spin attacks, before slamming their swords together. The boy and the dead man exchanged a glance of understanding.

"This is it!"

"Your pain shall be two-fold!"

"Wuh-oh." Hades said. Sora and Auron spun their weapons, creating a big tornado that knocked Hades upward. "Gaaaaah!"

As Hades landed, Hercules punched him into a wall. Hades was mad now.

"_AAAAAAAAAAHHHHHHHH_!" With a column of fire, Hades returned to his powerful mode. "Want some more? I'm on fire!" He warped back into the arena and summoned a fireball to hang over the center and periodically spit fire at his enemies.

"You just don't learn, huh Hades?" Hercules created two more spheres, which Sora quickly sent back at Hades to weaken him again. Donald and Goofy both had their way with him, before Sora went in for the final blow.

"This… isn't… happening!" Hades fell to his knees. Then he saw Hercules running up to him, ready to punch. "Yikes!" Hades teleported away from the arena, and onto the edge. "Ha! Can't get me from over the-" he started to stumble, "-eeeh… eeeeh… WAAAAAAAAAAHHHHH-"

Splash! Hades fell into the river.

"James Woods, everybody." Sora announced, turning to face the others.

* * *

><p>Sora, Donald, Goofy, and Auron were back in the entrance to the Underworld. Donald asked what he was going to do now. Through all this time, he has now joined Sora and Goofy in being a fan of Auron.<p>

"I don't know. Maybe after all this time, it's time for me to start my own story."

Sora nodded. "I can see that. Especially after all that confusing stuff."

"I guess I should thank you three."

Sora shook his head. "Nah, you don't gotta."

"Okay then."

"Wait what? No, I was being modest!"

"Make up your mind already. … Very well. … Thanks for meddling in my personal affairs."

"… That's as good as it's getting, isn't it?" Sora asked.

"Yep." Auron walked off.

"(Oh. My. Goodness. I can't believe it. I actually met the Donald Duck. Twice. Truly I am blessed.)" the man thought to himself.

* * *

><p>The three friends left the Underworld, and found Hercules, Meg, and Phil by the ruins of the coliseum. Pegasus was off somewhere else.<p>

"So how is everything?" asked Sora.

"Thanks for all your help, guys." Meg said sincerely.

Hercules smiled. "So where are you going to go next?"

"Gawrsh, seeing Auron reminded me of Mr. Bloom. We should check in on them pirates next, Sora!"

"So Herc, I figure yous don't need me anymore?" Phil asked.

"What? No way Phil, I'll always need your training! I gotta be ready in case Hades shows up again!"

"Wait, Hades didn't die?" Goofy asked. "… Oh yeah, he's immortal."

Meg laughed. "Yep. But the good news is, after all that, I doubt he'll be up for anything major for a while. Immortal or not."

Donald went over to Phil and quacked. Sora noticed.

"Oh hey that's a good point. So are we heroes yet, Phil?"

"Well… you've got courage… but yer power's still a bit short. Not to mention your wisdom… ooh don't get me started on the wisdom."

Sora and Donald slouched over.

"Sorry fellas. It's not up to me. I mean if it were, then sure! But it's not."

"Hey Sora, you and your friends might want to see this." Hercules called.

Sora, Donald, and Goofy all looked at the sky and found that the stars had changed. A new constellation was born, and it resembled the three of them. Phil had no words.

"Oh. I guess yous guys finally are heroes, den."

Donald quacked victoriously.

"Golly, we're bonafide heroes now, ahyuck!"

_**OLYMPUS COLISEUM**_

* * *

><p><strong>To be continued.<strong>

-Yep, Auron's a fan of Donald Duck.

-I wrote this on my birthday, and I'm glad it got to be this world visit, and not the second visit to Land of Dragons or something. James Woods as Hades and my favorite boss music make any chapter better.

-Here's something I should have done before: I only just now learned how to insert the horizontal page break lines. I'll try to do that from now on, instead of ellipsis to break scenes. (Though I'm gonna do those when I actually write, so I remember where the lines go.)


	17. Nobodies of the Caribbean

**Review Responses:**

Herochan1313 - Yeah, Auron is a fan of Donald. Thought it'd be ironic, after all the times Goofy has geeked out over Auron.

Dracula X - Hades is the role he was born to play. And thank you.

* * *

><p><strong>Chapter 16: Nobodies of the Caribbean<strong>

The Gummi Ship flew through the mysterious plane between worlds. It took a while to travel between Olympus and Port Royal, so the guys got to talking.

"… Hey guys, if we're going in order, shouldn't we check in on Queen Minnie?"

"Don't worry, Sora! If somethin' happened t' Queen Minnie, Chip and Dale woulda told us!"

"Oh okay."

"Gawrsh, I hope Mr. Bloom is okay. … Oh and the Captain. And that other girl."

* * *

><p>Sora, Donald, and Goofy had found themselves back at the dim shores of Port Royal. The sounds of metal clinking echoed throughout the area.<p>

"Hey, that sounds like a swordfight! Let's go watch!" Sora ran off to find the source of the swordfight, followed closely by his friends. Then when the three got to the harbor, they found Jack Sparrow having a hard time against some zombie pirates.

"Captain! Are you okay?"

"Hmm?" Jack looked over to see that some of his least favorite people had returned. "Zola! Come be a meat shield for me, savvy?"

"Not until you get my name right! … Oh fine…" Sora ran over and used the Guardian Soul Keyblade to knock the pirate zombies into the ocean.

"So mate, what brings you back to Port Royal?"

Donald explained Organization XIII to Jack.

"Oh really? Next you'll say that you, Zola, and Gooby killed a god."

"Well I wouldn't say _killed_…" Sora started. Elizabeth Swann then made an appearance. He quickly cleared his throat and tried to deepen his voice. "Hello, Ms. Swann."

She ignored him. "Jack, Will went to Isla de Muerta to investigate why the pirates are cursed again. Will you take me to see him?"

"No."

"Please, I must know he's all right!"

"Lucky man." Jack joked.

"(I'll say.)" thought Sora.

Goofy spoke up. "I wanna see Mr. Bloom too, Cap'n!"

"And wass in this for me? The _Pearl_ is a pirate ship, not a prom limousine."

Sora tilted his head. "Captain, those haven't been invented yet. Not in this world, at least."

"Fine, we'll pay you, happy?" Swann was losing her patience.

"Right you are. Let's shove off." Jack started drunkenly hobbling toward his ship.

* * *

><p>The <em>Black Pearl<em> went swiftly through the night. It was on this trip that Sora spoke to Jack about something.

"So Captain, how's the bag of dirt?"

"We split up. Iss just me an' the _Pearl_ now."

Goofy started hollering.

"What's that thing going on about, now?"

"Captain, it's awful!" Goofy yelled. "Mr. Bloom's unconscious on the _Interceptor_!"

"Well he must be dead, reward now plox." Jack held his hand out in front of Elizabeth.

"Jack, knock it off!"

* * *

><p>After saving Will, Elizabeth was speaking to him beneath the deck of the Pearl, in Jack's stateroom. Will was still very tired.<p>

"Will, what happened?"

"We… went to the island, but there was a man…" he tried to speak, "…and he wore a black hood. He sent monsters after us… I think I'm the only survivor…"

"Sounds like Organization XIII, guys." Sora told his friends and Jack, having walked in on the conversation. "We gotta put a stop to them!"

"How's about we don't? I'm the captain, and I say, 'no monsters'. We're headed home, savvy?"

Ms. Swann was not amused. "Jack, we must!"

"Jack, we must." mocked the captain.

"Real mature!"

"Pirate." With that, Jack went out onto the deck and found this mysterious, hooded individual. "And you would be?"

**Name: Luxord**  
><strong>Only Purpose: Fill in 10th rank in Organization<strong>

"Blah, blah, blah, greedy humans, blah, blah, gambling analogy. I believe I'm done here." Luxord snapped his fingers and summoned a large, purple Heartless wielding a bladed pendulum. "Enjoy this monster."

As Luxord disappeared, Sora, Donald, and Goofy all ran onto the deck.

"See, Captain? It's the Organization!"

"Do I have to fight it? I could really go for some rum, right now-"

"Captain!" Sora, Donald, and Goofy screamed at once.

"All right, already! But first…" Jack snuck off while Sora, Donald, and Goofy started fighting the Grim Reaper.

"Captain!" Sora called. Jack looked over from the treasure chest he was about to open. Sora sighed and opened it for him, catching the Grim Reaper and Jack in a vacuum. Rolling with it, Jack stabbed the Heartless a few times and then knocked the Heartless into the chest.

"Right you are." Jack dropped a grenade while Sora closed the chest, leaving the Heartless at the mercy of the bomb. After the explosion, there was nothing coming from the chest but a bunch of smoke.

"That was a rather confusing attack."

"Yeah…" Sora agreed. "Oh hey, he's back." Sora pointed Luxord out to the others. He stood there with the chest, still full of medallions.

"Indeed I am." Luxord then removed his hood to reveal short, blonde hair, a matching goatee, and multiple piercings in his ears. "… 'Sup?"

"Throw him overboard, mates."

Luxord pointed at Jack. "Parley!"

"Clever bas****." Jack cursed. Goofy was confused.

"Gawrsh, Cap'n. What did he do?"

"When he says 'parley', it means that we aren't allowed to do anythin' to him until we finish negotiations."

"But Cap'n, do we really gotta be thinkin' about rules right now?"

"Well it's more of a guideline, really. But I am an honorable pirate. I think. I can't say for sure, I'm actually drunk as we speak."

Luxord smiled, despite the fact that he could not feel happiness. "Right. Anyway, here's your precious box of money. See? I'm not such a bad Nobody after all, am I?"

Donald quacked at him.

"Perceptive of you, duck. I indeed want something out of this. Just some souvenirs…"

Then Luxord scooped up four medallions and tossed them into the air. Four Gambler Nobodies materialized and made off with one medallion each.

"Mate, you just crossed a line."

Luxord could not be less intimidated. As behind him, a zombie version of Grim Reaper rose from the ocean.

"Wait, how come that thing's cursed and you're not?" Sora asked.

"You see… … Shoot, I don't know. Attack!" Luxord ordered. Grim Reaper swung its weapon, blowing the four fighters all the way onto the abandoned _Interceptor_. "Now, fire!"

Cannonballs ransacked the Interceptor, as Will and Elizabeth watched in horror from Jack's stateroom.

* * *

><p>Everyone woke up in the Ship Graveyard. Before Sora lied another Summon Charm. The boy pocketed it as everyone else started waking up.<p>

"Oww… me head…" Jack got up. When he was fully standing, he was in the moonlight and noticed that once more, he was a skeleton. "This is an interesting development…"

"Gawrsh Cap'n, ya steal another medallion?"

"No. I may be drunk, but I'm not a fool. Though I am also drunk, so maybe I did."

Sora joined the conversation. "Is there ever a time where you aren't drunk?"

Jack shrugged. "Anyway, I'm thinking that monster did something to me. Doesn't explain why the curse is squeamish with you three, though."

Donald theorized that they were unaffected due to being from outside of this world.

"Yeah, we're always just the visitors." Sora noted. "… Always the visitors… Always… Never home, just another world…"

"(Uh-oh. Sora's in that mood again…)" Goofy thought to himself. Sora noticed.

"(Uh-oh, Donald and Goofy are getting worried. I can't be a problem while we still have to help out Jack.) Uhhh, just kidding! Come on let's go help the Captain and not have any repressed emotions!"

"Right you are." Jack took a swig of rum, but noticed when it went through his bones. "… The sooner, the better."

* * *

><p>As the group looked for a ship, they noticed a Gambler playing with a medallion.<p>

"Get him!" Jack ordered. Donald summoned a lightning bolt, which destroyed the target. "There we go." He walked over and picked it up. "Three left."

Donald asked how Jack knew that only four medallions had been taken.

"Pirate."

Then the _Black Pearl_ sailed up to the island, with Elizabeth on deck.

"There you are."

* * *

><p>"Jack, what have you done now?" Will asked, upon seeing Jack's state.<p>

"Nothing, mate! It was the hooded guy."

Sora nodded. "Organization XIII."

"Well he's gone, and so are most of his henchmen." Turner explained. "So now what do we do?"

"Well we gotta go find the medallions, Mr. Bloom! Let's set course!" Goofy suggested.

* * *

><p>The <em>Pearl<em> started sailing once more.

"Dreaming. Don't give it up, Dolan. Dreaming. Don't give it up, Zola. Dreaming. Don't give it up, Gooby. Dreaming. Don't give it, give it up-"

Elizabeth was confused. "What are you talking about?"

"Yohoho, I took a drink of some rum."

And thus, Sora, Donald, Goofy, and Jack searched all around the region for the remaining three Gamblers. It was not long at all before all the medallions were reclaimed.

"There! All four medallions!" Sora proclaimed happily. Donald and Goofy, on the other hand, were troubled by the fact that the chest was no longer on the deck.

"Uhh… Mr. Bloom, whatever happened to the chest?"

"Oh, that. The hooded man took it. I forgot to mention that."

"… You're not my favorite, anymore."

"Goofy, please." Sora told him. "I think you're just a little worn out from this treasure hunting. Come on, let's go look for the Nobody."

"So you know where this organizer type is, do ye?" Jack asked, once more trying to drink rum. Sora shrugged.

"I dunno. How about town?"

Everyone else shrugged as well, thinking it was worth a shot.

* * *

><p>Sora, Donald, Goofy, Jack, and Will all hurried off the ship and into the harbor. The cursed Grim Reaper appeared before the chest, to get in the way.<p>

"Aye, take care of the chest, mates." Jack ordered. He ran off to the side, with the Heartless following him.

Sora dropped all of the medallions into the chest. "Are you feeling it now, Captain?"

But Sora then got a look, and only the Heartless had been cured. "Did ya do it yet, Zola? I still feel a draft."

Will Turner thought about this. "Perhaps there was a different reason for Jack's curse. And it must be just like the pirates we've seen!"

"I think Mr. Bloom's onta somethin'! It must be the monster's fault!"

The monster started swinging its pendulum. Everyone got out of the way, and some medallions were knocked out of the chest, turning it back into a zombie Heartless.

"Rahahahaha!"

"I'll make sure none of the townspeople are hurt!" Turner said as he ran off. This left the other four face-to-face with the Grim Reaper.

Donald fired Blizzara at the Grim Reaper. It froze him, but did no damage. Even worse, the monster broke free after a short time.

"Rahahahahaha!" the Heartless laughed again. Donald started throwing a fit, and Sora was confused.

"I don't get it! Normally we can only attack those who are cursed when they're in the middle of being cursed. How is this Heartless different?"

"Maybe 'cause it's a monster, mate."

Sora shrugged. "I guess. Okay, you three keep it distracted while I gather the gold. Go!"

Sora started running around and picking up medallions while Goofy, Donald, and Jack all kept the Grim Reaper busy. After a while, the Heartless noticed what Sora was doing. It opened its mouth and started inhaling medallions from the chest.

"Oh no you don't!"

Sora jumped up and kicked the Heartless in the face. He then grabbed the pendulum and swung it around, knocking the Grim Reaper into the sky, before throwing the pendulum at it. This knocked the newly stolen medallions loose from the Heartless, and onto the ground.

"Gawrsh, it's a good thing they didn't land in the water!" Goofy said. He pocketed a few and put them in the chest, while Sora grabbed the rest and deposited them as well. Then Sora returned the ones he had previously picked up, thereby returning every medallion.

"Arooooooooo!" the Grim Reaper roared, now back to normal.

"Hurry Zola, before it steals more!"

"I have an idea!" Sora said. He pulled out the Feather Charm. "_Light!_"

"Sora!" a voice called out. Donald, Goofy, and Jack were replaced with a young boy in green tights and a little fairy.

**Names: Peter Pan & Tinkerbell**  
><strong>Resume: Party member, summon, and boss<strong>

"Our turn?" Peter offered.

"Sure-WHOA!" Peter picked Sora up and started flying around the Grim Reaper, confusing it.

"GO!" Peter Pan yelled, bombarding the Grim Reaper with flashbacks to Sora's visit to Neverland. Then Peter Pan and Tinkerbell flew away.

"Until next time!"

Donald, Goofy, and Jack returned, and the Grim Reaper was more confused than anything else.

"A fat lot of good that did, mate. Now look!"

The Grim Reaper was close to knocking more medallions out of the chest again, but Donald thought fast and froze it in place again.

"Hmm… Donald! Keep casting that spell, I have an idea!"

Donald nodded and Sora ran over to Jack and stole his bottle of rum.

"Hey! I was gonna drink that later!"

Sora ran back to the fight. "Okay Donald, that's enough now." The monster broke free from Blizzara, and Sora threw the rum bottle at the monster, covering it in rum. "And since that stuff is flammable, we need to use Fira!"

Donald and Sora both cast Fira on the Grim Reaper, draping it in flames. The Heartless dropped its weapon in a panic and started flying around before it burnt to death, freeing the captured heart and ending everyone's troubles.

"Gawrsh Sora, that was good thinkin'!"

"Too bad about me rum, though."

Then Luxord dropped down and grabbed the freed Heart. With some sort of ability, he made it disappear.

"And one more for Kingdom Hearts. My gratitude, Sora."

"We won't let you get away with that, mate."

Luxord smirked. "Oh really? You can't stop us. Want to know why?" Luxord pointed to Sora, then Goofy, then Jack. "You're weak, you're a hack, you're Jack."

"Quack!" Donald yelled.

"That would hurt my feelings, if I had any." Luxord barbed. Then he disappeared into the darkness as Will and Elizabeth ran into the harbor.

"Jack, is everything fine?" Will asked.

Jack noticed that he had flesh once more. "I guess it is."

* * *

><p>Back on the deck of the <em>Black Pearl<em>, Will and Goofy heaved the cursed chest into the ocean depths.

"Now it's Spongebob's problem." Turner summarized.

"I'm just glad that hooded fellow and his Heartless are gone. Now us real pirates can start running the place, again."

Elizabeth was annoyed. "And here I thought you actually wanted to save people."

"Pirate."

"Well I suppose I _did_ offer a reward. All right, what shall it be?"

"Well I can always get more rum… so how about Sora's blade?"

"Hey you got my name right!" cheered Sora. "All right, here you go."

Jack raised an eyebrow. "Really, now? I can just have it?"

"All yours."

"Right you are." Jack took Sora's Guardian Soul. But then it disappeared, only to materialize in Sora's grasp again. "Ermm… Do over." Jack tried again, but got the same result.

"I see what you did there. Never worry, though. One day I will come after your blade with a bloodthirsty crew, and I'll know how to wield it by then."

"If you say so, Captain."

"Say, Will and Elizabeth, want to join me when that happens?"

Elizabeth shrugged. "Sure."

"Cool beans, cool beans." Jack said, before pulling out another bottle of rum and drinking. As everyone was wondering just how many bottles he was able to carry on his person, Goofy turned to Donald.

"Gawrsh Donald, ya think Jack might be able to use a Keyblade after all, one of these days?"

Donald shrugged.

"Because I think they're kinda alike!"

Sora and Jack both looked confused by this. In unison, they said, "I don't see what you mean."

"… I see what you did there, Captain."

"Likewise."

Everybody laughed. With that, everyone but Jack got off the ship and then watched as Captain Jack Sparrow and the _Black Pearl_ vanished into the horizon.

_**PORT ROYAL**_

* * *

><p><strong>To be continued.<strong>

-Go play _Kingdom Hearts: Dream Drop Distance_. I got to the final world, and the gameplay so far is great. Took a bit of getting used to, though, since I never played _Birth By Sleep_.

-Classes will start up again next week, so if I go longer than usual without updating, that's likely why.


	18. Somebody Jafarted

Geez, this story's been going for a year, as of yesterday. I am so sorry for the long time between updates. This semester kept me busy. Well now I'm on break, so let's see if I can finish this story in a month before classes start again. There shouldn't be many more chapters, there are only a few more worlds.

**Review Responses:**  
>Dracula X - I actually didn't think to make a Dolan reference until I thought, "if Jack messed up Sora's name, how could he mess up Donald or Goofy? Oh I know!" And true, nobody said "Gooby pls", but Sora did say "Goofy please" at one point, so I hope that makes up for it.<p>

LittleKing9512 - Don't worry, the fight with Sephiroth will be included in this story. I'm not exactly sure how it'll go down, or exactly how epic it will be, but it will be in there. As for why nobody's written about Jack? Probably because everyone would rather write about the FF cameos or the KH-original cast.

Herochan1313 - How and why did Jack do the things he did? Because he's Jack Sparrow, mate.

* * *

><p><strong>Chapter 17: Somebody Jafarted<strong>

"I know Aladdin and those travelers wanted to seal this thing away, but I think I'll rub this lamp just for giggles."

The small merchant of Agrabah was hiding in a basement somewhere, and he rubbed Jafar's black lamp. A red miasma enveloped the room, accompanied with a crimson genie and evil laughter.

"Muahahaha! I'm free! Free at last!"

Iago flew into the room. "Hey peddler, ya got any- HOLY CRAP!"

* * *

><p>Sora, Donald, and Goofy materialized in the merchant's shop.<p>

"Gawrsh, this place got fancy since we left!"

"Yeah!" Sora agreed. Then he noticed the merchant. "Say, have you seen anyone from Organization XIII lately?"

The merchant shrugged. "I have no idea what you mean."

"A person in a black coat?"

"Oh. … No."

"Drat." Sora snapped his fingers. "Oh well, thanks anyway."

Aladdin burst in, with Abu on his shoulder.

"Objection!" the thief shouted.

"Hmm?" Sora, Donald, and Goofy grunted at once, confused. In the midst of this, the merchant snuck away.

"That merchant! He let Jafar out of the lamp!"

Sora shuddered. "Ugh. That guy…" He started remembering Jafar.

_Heartless! Destroy those street rats!_

_I want that lamp!_

_Muahahahaha!_

_I will have my revenge, Aladdin! Sora! Donald! Goofy!_

"… I never liked that guy." Sora said. "And I like pretty much everybody."

Iago flew out from behind Aladdin.

"Did I mention that that gets kind of old, kid?"

Aladdin turned to the parrot. "Okay Iago, do you know where Jafar might be?"

"Uhhh… n- well… err… Maybe?"

"Iago…" Everyone took on a warning tone.

"Uhh… okay! He's in the ruins in the desert!"

* * *

><p>The party, Aladdin, Abu, and Iago all made it outside of the town walls, and then they noticed a sandstorm in the distance.<p>

"Oh shoot, a sandstorm! Well let's just head back-" Iago started, but Goofy interrupted him.

"Aww, we've been through worse! Right, fellers?"

Sora and Donald nodded.

"Yeah man! That's the 'tude, dude!" said a mysterious voice. Suddenly, Genie appeared in a puff of smoke.

"Genie, I thought you were playing chess with Carpet." Aladdin said.

"I'd… rather not talk about it. But hey, this sandstorm's no biggie!" With that, Genie turned into a blue Scrappy Doo. "_C'mon, lemme at 'em, lemme at 'em!_" Then he turned back to normal.

Aladdin shrugged. "I don't know, there might be another way through…"

"Aw come on! One of your best friends is a genie, how could you say no to that?" Genie pleaded.

"Well all right. Take it away, Genie!" Aladdin said.

Genie turned into a blue Mafioso. "_You got it, boss._" Genie turned back to normal and into a giant, and then snapped his fingers. The storm was gone.

Sora was impressed. "Wow, that was awesome!"

"Meh. Kinda wish the storm was bigger, to be honest. Oh well, see ya next time!" With that, Genie disappeared in another puff of smoke.

"All right ya wanna go stop stinkin' Jafar or what? Let's get a move on!" Iago started flying toward the ruins. He seemed more irate than usual.

* * *

><p>The ruins consisted of buildings that were half sunken into the sand. Out of nowhere, Magic Carpet swooped down and picked Sora up.<p>

"Whoa! Uh…" He turned back to face the others. "Meet up with you guys later?" After that, Sora turned and noticed a watery silhouette of Jafar floating before him and Carpet. "Oh man!"

The phantom Jafar summoned Rapid Thruster Heartless and flew away. Sora whipped out the Guardian Soul and began unloading on the Heartless.

"Phew, fighting on a floating carpet isn't easy! … No offense. … There he goes!" Sora pointed towards the ghostly Jafar. Carpet followed after it.

The ghost started charging a spell, but Sora shot Blizzara at it, canceling the spell. With that, the ghost flew to the tower in the back of the ruins and sent more Heartless at the boy.

"Uh-oh!"

Sora quickly dispatched the Heartless and Carpet took him to the top. Jafar's ghost disappeared, and an altar took its place.

"Huh?"

"Sora!" Aladdin called out from a nearby dune.

Sora turned and noticed his friends. "What is it?"

"We took a look, there are magic switches keeping the tower shut!"

Sora nodded. "We're on it!"

With that, Carpet flew around the ruins until it found and found a bunch of red, crystal eggs.

"Fira!" Sora cast the spell and activated the switch.

"Thundara!"

"Blizzara!"

Eventually, all three switches were hit, and the tower door opened. Carpet started heading that way.

* * *

><p>"Okay Jafar, show yourself!" Aladdin ordered. Iago flew over to a platform and slouched.<p>

"Err… confession time. It was Jafar! He made me trick you guys! He said that if I didn't do it, he'd turn me into drumsticks! Ya gotta understand!"

"The word he so obviously chose, 'drumsticks', pierced my heart. I can't believe this!" Aladdin was upset. "Where is Jafar for real?"

"Uh…"

"Do you really know, or are you lying again?" Sora shook his finger.

"Okay, okay! He should be at the palace right about now!"

Aladdin sighed as Abu stood on his shoulder and pat Aladdin's head.

"All right, let's go." Then there was shaking. "Uh boy."

Carpet acted fast and swooped up Sora, Donald, Goofy, and Aladdin, and flew away.

"Hey wait for me!" shouted Iago.

Carpet got everyone out safely, and made a beeline for Agrabah, with Iago in pursuit.

* * *

><p>Carpet plopped down in front of the town entrance, as the party disembarked. The frontal tassels curved upward, apologetically.<p>

"It's all right, Carpet. We can make it the rest of the way, you've earned a break."

Carpet went back to flatness as the party ran into town. A few moments later, Iago flew past.

"I said to wait up!"

* * *

><p>Jasmine was chained to the palace doors.<p>

"You'll get what you deserve, Jafar!"

Before her was a man in red and black robes and a turban, who held a snake staff. The man smiled.

**Name: Jafar**  
><strong>Good Twin Brother: Jaclose<strong>

"And by that, you mean control of Agrabah, I hope."

Jasmine sighed. "I meant your defeat, and you know it!"

"Darn right, you do!" Aladdin said. As Jasmine smiled, Jafar turned to see the party ready for battle. He was not pleased.

"Remember me, boy?" Jafar asked threateningly.

Sora nodded. "Oh yeah, you were the easiest of Maleficent's goons to defeat!"

Jafar's eyes widened. "Wha- but- Why you little…!" Jafar readied a blast for Sora, but then quickly switched his aim to Aladdin.

"Watch out!" Iago quickly flew into harm's way, taking the blast for Aladdin. Then the bird fell to the ground.

Goofy gasped. "Iago's dead! Now who're we gonna have ice cream with?"

"Genie powers activate!" More crimson smoke surrounded Jafar.

Donald quacked reassuringly, before Sora caught on.

"Oh yeah, he's right! Genies can't kill people, we'll be fine!"

"Oh I assure you, I can do far worse than kill you!"

With that, Jafar assumed his true genie form. With a snap of his fingers, Jafar summoned a boulder to crush the party.

"Gawrsh, not again!" Goofy yelled. He picked up Iago and ran with Sora, Donald, and Aladdin to safety.

"Aladdin!" Jasmine yelled. The thief heard his name and began running towards the princess to free her.

"Going somewhere, boy?" called Jafar. The genie was about to attack, but Carpet whizzed past, making him dizzy. "What was that?"

"Yeah, Carpet!" Sora cheered. Then Carpet went for Sora and picked him up. "Whoa!"

* * *

><p>Before long, Carpet had Sora at Jafar's eye level.<p>

"… Have you gotten bigger since you were last a genie? I think you've gotten bigger."

"I shall destroy everything!"

"Okay, skip the small talk then!" Sora readied the Guardian Soul.

Jafar began throwing palace towers at Sora, but Carpet kept itself and Sora perfectly safe. When it had an opening, Carpet carried Sora to Jafar's stomach.

"Take this! And that! And some of this!" Sora began attacking Jafar's gut.

"Ow! Stop! Desist!"

When Jafar had had enough, Carpet flew down to Jafar's tail, which Sora grabbed.

"Okay Carpet, let 'er rip!"

Carpet flew circles around Jafar, and thanks to Sora grabbing onto Jafar's tail, the villain became dizzy.

"Waaaaah! Make it stop!" the genie cried, getting dizzy again.

"For such a powerful being, you sure cry easily. And since you're such a big target, I can hit you anywhere!"

Sora started whacking Jafar's head over and over, but the villain regained his bearings and swatted Sora far away.

"Aaaaah! Carpet!"

Carpet dodged a few more of Jafar's swings, and flew to save Sora.

"Just in time, thanks Carpet!"

One of Carpet's tassels gave a gesture similar to a thumbs up. Carpet flew back to Jafar and dodged some fireballs, before stopping in front of Jafar's stomach yet again.

"Ha!" Sora started attacking, and made sure to reflect against the fireballs. "And just to keep you busy… Blizzara!" Sora shot ice at Jafar's stomach.

"S-so cold! How d-dare you?"

Carpet flew up and Sora attacked the head some more.

"Insolent street rat!" Jafar snapped his fingers.

Suddenly the three combatants were in a cloudy, alternate dimension. Jafar started hurling more towers and houses at the heroes, but Carpet dodged them all like an expert, with Sora slicing any obstacles too big to avoid.

Jafar then noticed that Carpet was rushing right towards his face. "No… you will not defeat me!"

"This is it!" Sora said. As soon as he was close enough, Sora took a big swing and smacked Jafar right across the face, returning them to Agrabah, and ending the battle.

"B-but how? How could this happen?" Jafar moaned.

Carpet stopped carrying Sora back to the ground long enough for Sora to say one last thing.

"Because I like I said, Jafar. You're the easiest of the bad guys to beat."

"Noooooooo!" Jafar was then forced to retreat into his lamp, which Donald struck with Thundara, on the ground. The lamp, like Jafar, was history.

* * *

><p>Carpet and Sora landed in the bazaar, where all of their friends ran up to them. Goofy was still holding Iago's body.<p>

"Okay, that should make up for not helping out with the bad guys last time." Sora recalled his previous failure to control Wisdom Form.

Genie appeared. "Whoa there, were you guys fighting Jafar without me? What gives?"

Aladdin rubbed the back of his neck. "Oh. Sorry about that, Genie. It all happened so fast."

"Aw man…"

Donald quacked to the Genie about fixing Agrabah.

"Well I guess there is that, still. But wait a minute! Why fix up the old Agrabah when I can just build a bigger and better one? Just say the word, Al!"

Jasmine looked to Aladdin. "Aladdin…"

"I know, Jasmine." The young man turned to Genie. "We'd actually just like it if things were the way they were, Genie."

"Aw man, I don't get to do anything fun!" Then Genie turned into a waiter. "_All righty then, one order of Agrabah, hold the technology! May I interest you in an apple pie on the side?_ Just kidding!"

Genie wrote the 'order' on a clipboard and threw it behind his back. The clipboard exploded in a large puff of smoke.

"Gawrsh, I can't see!"

Then when the smoke cleared, the town was restored. Genie was gone, and his voice echoed.

"But I'm not finished convincing you to let me put in a laser tag joint, Al!"

* * *

><p>A short while later, the three outsiders were ready to leave Agrabah.<p>

"Thanks again, Sora, Donald, Goofy." Jasmine said.

Aladdin nodded. "Yeah, we couldn't have done it without you."

"No sweat!" Sora exclaimed. He turned to Iago. "Feeling better?"

"Yeah, yeah… Still stinks I can't do stuff to help out, like Genie."

Sora thought about it for a moment. "Well it's all right. As long as you have fun hanging out with someone, you don't need to do things to be their friend."

"I guess. But yeah, no more doin' evil things, I swear!" Iago pledged, putting a wing over his heart.

"Whee!" Genie flew past everybody. "Don't be strangers, guys! Haha!"

Abu and Carpet nodded, and Aladdin spoke up. "Yeah, feel free to visit us anytime!"

"We will!" Sora, Donald, and Goofy said in unison.

Aladdin had more to say. "And don't worry, Sora. I'm sure you'll find Ricky again soon."

"His name's Riku, but thanks." Sora smiled.

**_AGRABAH_**

To be continued.

* * *

><p><strong>Author's Notes:<strong>  
>Once again, sorry for the long wait. I knew it'd be a while until the next chapter, but I didn't think it'd be this long. And now a year has passed since the first chapter has uploaded. But like I said, I'll try to finish this before classes start again. But I'll also be trying to update my other story, Bowser Party 1.<p>

Anyway, did you enjoy this chapter? I have the thing about Jafar being the weakest minion as sort of a personal reference. When my dad played the first Kingdom Hearts, Jafar was the only boss he could beat in one try, except possibly Darkside.

With each chapter, I change the story settings so that the main characters listed are Sora and whoever did the most in that chapter. Magic Carpet deserves that spot today, but it's not an option on the site, sadly. I can't imagine lots of people writing fan fiction about it (at least in the KH section), but still…


	19. Back to Jack

**Review Responses:**

Dracula X - Great to be back. Yeah classes were tough. I'm just worried next semester may be even worse. I'll have fewer days, but one more class and (hopefully) a job. Anyway yeah, the ice cream thing is a semi-recurring joke, saved for whenever someone (who would be missed) dies in this story.

Herochan1313 - Yeah, Jaclose is a pretty cool guy.

LittleKing9512 - Yep, it was a Phoenix Wright joke.

* * *

><p><strong>Chapter 18: Back to Jack<strong>

In Halloween Town, Dr. Finkelstein was in the middle of an experiment. The doctor was attempting to make his oddly-proportioned robot come to life.

The robot was top heavy, one hand was a claw as big as the whole robot, while the other was a snakelike vacuum.

"Now!" the doctor called out.

He pulled a lever and lightning struck the robot. But nothing happened.

"Consarn it! Those kids must've brought me lousy parts! Because I never make any mistakes ever!"

Finkelstein turned around to reconsider his choice of assistants, when something attacked him from behind.

* * *

><p>Sora, Donald, and Goofy touched down into Halloween Town right by the hinterlands that led to other holidays. As usual, Donald had taken the liberty of changing their forms.<p>

"Oh! It's you!" Jack's voice was heard. Sora, Donald, and Goofy looked to find Jack Skellington approaching. He was still wearing the Santa outfit, and holding presents under one arm.

"Jack, you're still at it?" Sora asked.

"No, of course not. I just found these presents around here, and thought I should return them to Sandy Claws."

Goofy tilted his head. "But Jack, why'd ya keep the suit?"

"Well duh." Jack gestured toward himself with his free hand. "I look fabulous!"

"Well, can't argue with that." Goofy submitted.

Jack walked past the three. "Come on, let's go return these to Sandy Claws!"

* * *

><p>Jack burst into Santa's house.<p>

"Sandy, I'm home!"

(laugh track)

"Hm?" Santa looked up from checking his list. "Oh. Hello, Jack."

"I found these presents for you!" Jack walked over and set the gifts down on a table.

Sora, Donald, and Goofy walked into the room, having once again changed their costumes in order to fit into the Christmas environment.

"Why thank you for returning these gifts, Jack. But I'm afraid more gifts were stolen than that. But this might not be news to you…"

Jack raised his nonexistent eyebrow. "Hmm? Don't tell me you think _I_ did it!"

Santa shrugged. "Well you _are_ still wearing the costume…"

"Because I look so fabulous!"

"Okay, I'll grant you that much…" Santa started, "But it's still suspicious that they were found on your end…"

"Then that gives me a lead! Let's go, mentlegen! … I mean gentlemen!" Then Jack ran out the door. Sora turned to Santa.

"I forgot to ask last time, but can I have a toy train this year?"

Jack came back. "Guys, come on, we have to-"

A loud crash kept Jack from finishing his sentence. Everyone was surprised, but Santa spoke first.

"Oh dear, could you see what that is? I have to finish this list!" Santa requested. Jack pointed to the air.

"We're on the case!"

* * *

><p>Sora, Donald, and Goofy all sighed when they found the source of the noise in the back of the factory. Lock, Shock, and Barrel were throwing various toys around.<p>

"What about this bear?" Lock asked.

Shock shook her head. "No, it's dumb!"

Lock threw it over his shoulder, to find another toy. Barrel showed Shock a toy soldier.

"This one smells like me!"

"No, that's dumb too!"

"What are you guys doing?" questioned Sora. The kids looked to see. Jack crossed his arms.

"So, here are our thieves."

Goofy walked over to the trio. "Why'd ya take the presents, kids?"

"We didn't!" Lock claimed.

"But…" Shock added.

"We should!" Barrel finished. With that, the three ran further into the room.

"Dang it!" The four heroes screamed at once. Sora motioned for them all to huddle up.

"Okay. I get the red one, Jack gets the witch, Donald and Goofy get the short one. Got it?"

"Sora, I want to capture Barrel." Jack said. "Skeletons have to stick together."

Sora gave him a look.

"… Oh all right."

"Break!" yelled Sora. Just as Sora turned around, Lock threw a pumpkin grenade at the boy. "Aaah! This feels strangely familiar!"

Shock was operating a toy cannon and shooting footballs everywhere. Jack kept dodging, until he grabbed one and threw it at Shock, knocking her out of the seat.

"Now, behave!"

Shock took her mask off and blew a raspberry to Jack before running away.

"Haha!"

The Pumpkin King snapped his fingers. "Curses!"

Barrel was messing with a Chinese finger trap, oblivious to the world around him. Donald and Goofy were slowly approaching from both sides. Then Donald quacked.

"Loud an' clear, Donald!"

The duo both jumped to grab Barrel, but the boy absentmindedly walked out of the way, fixated on the toy. Donald and Goofy crashed into each other.

"Waaaak!"

"Yowch!"

Santa walked in. "Here, these are good for dealing with naughty children!" The jolly old elf tossed three magic boxes to Sora, who just recovered from the pumpkin grenade.

"Thanks, Santa!" With that, Sora turned and threw one box at Lock. It landed perfectly on top of him.

"Hey no fair!" Lock tried to get out from under the box, but he had no luck. Next, Sora threw one at Barrel.

"Wait, what?"

Sora put a hand to his chin. "Okay, that means that the last one would be…" Shock threw another pumpkin grenade at Sora from behind. "Geez that hurts!"

"Neener-neener!" Shock ran away from Sora, but Jack managed to pick up a box.

"Hohoho! … I love saying that." Jack then threw the box at Shock, capturing her.

"No!"

* * *

><p>Jack and Sora's group had taken the three kids out of the boxes and set them down by a wall.<p>

"I ask again, why'd ya take the presents, kids?" Goofy asked.

"We said we didn't!" Shock argued. "We're looking for parts for the scientist's experiment!"

"Oh! Dr. Finkelstein! What's he doing again?" asked Jack.

"He's making us a friend, and we get to make it do stuff for us!" Lock explained.

"I'm naming it Travis!" said Barrel.

Shock stood up. "We don't even want your crummy presents, they're not scary at all!"

"Even if they would be fun to steal…" Lock briefly entertained the idea of stealing gifts, but saw Santa raising an eyebrow in his peripheral vision.

Jack turned around. "Well sorry Sandy Claws, looks like we haven't found the culprit yet."

"Well, at least they stopped making a mess in my factory."

An elf ran in. "Sir, someone's here to see you. She looks like a big doll. Is she one of the toys?"

"Wait… could it be… Sally?" Jack asked.

* * *

><p>Everyone met up in Santa's living room, and Sally was indeed present. She looked over to Jack.<p>

"Jack, there's more of those monsters in the town square! The… Heartless?" Sally looked to Sora, not sure if she got the name right. The boy explained.

"If they have glowing eyes, they're Heartless."

"Heartless then. Jack, there are Heartless back in town! And I think I saw them messing with some of Santa's boxes!"

"We're on the case!" Jack boldly pointed skyward.

* * *

><p>"Stop! Cease and desist!" The Mayor ordered some Wight Knight Heartless around, all of whom were throwing gift boxes at civilians. The Mayor turned his head to show his panicked white face.<p>

"Please! I'm no super mayor like Mike Haggar, I'm only an elected official!"

Sora and friends ran up to the Mayor. "We got this! _Light!_"

Sora turned to Master Form, absorbing all three friends. The Heartless turned away from their shenanigans and noticed Sora and the Wishing Lamp Keyblade.

"This is it!" Sora began attacking all of the Heartless, and they were all taken care of within a minute or two. All that was left was for Sora to pick up all four presents.

"Why thank you, young man!" the Mayor cried.

Sora, still holding all four presents, reverted back to Sora, Donald, Goofy, and Jack. Each was holding a present. The Mayor became confused.

"That didn't make sense! And Jack, why are you still wearing that red costume?"

"No time to explain, sir! We have to save Christmas! … Again!" Sora ran off, still holding one of the presents.

Donald and Goofy shrugged to each other and followed suit. Jack remained still.

"Jack, aren't you going with them?"

"Huh? What? Oh. Sorry, had to get my bearings. I guess Donald and Goofy are used to merging with Sora without having him turn into a shadow monster."

Sora, Donald, and Goofy walked back. Donald started quacking.

"Yes, yes, I'm coming!" Jack said. With that, a loud sound came from Finkelstein's lab. Everyone looked over and saw the scientist roll his way out.

"Help! Help me! My experiment's been stolen!"

"We're on the case!"

Sora readied his Keyblade. "Was it a Heartless?"

"No, no, no, it was nothing like a Heartless! I don't know what took my experiment, but it wasn't a Heartless! _My_ experiment's too good for that!"

Goofy plopped down to rest on the fountain's edge.

"Gee, this thief's really startin' to get on my nerves. What do you think, Donald?"

Donald quacked a few times. Jack overheard and his eye sockets widened.

"Of course! That's a brilliant idea! Let's lure the thief out with presents! It must be the same thief who stole the experiment, because what are the odds of two separate thieves?"

Sora shrugged. "Worth a shot."

* * *

><p>"Lure the thief out with presents?" Santa repeated. Everyone was back in his house. "All right, but due to circumstances, you'll have to wrap them yourself, first. Sorry."<p>

"We're on the c-"

"Jack stop that." Sora said.

* * *

><p>Sora manned a cannon and started shooting gifts into different boxes. Goofy looked concerned.<p>

"Sora, you sure that's how you should be doing this?"

"Relax Goofy, these gifts aren't actually going to any kids."

"Yeah they are."

"Oh…" Sora started reflecting, but Lock ran in and grabbed one of the boxes.

Donald quacked.

"Told you that this seemed like fun!" Lock yelled. Then he absconded with the box.

"Lock, get out of here!" Sora yelled.

"Nyah-nyah!" Lock taunted, running away. Sora shot a gift at the back of his head, knocking the boy down and making him release his grip on the box.

"Barrel, help me with this one!" Shock said.

"I hope it's a new tub!"

Sora turned the cannon and noticed Shock and Barrel both trying to carry a larger gift box. They were both dispatched with ease, and then it was not much longer before Sora was all done.

"There, that should be enough gifts to attract our thief!"

* * *

><p>Jack, Santa, Sora, Donald, and Goofy were all gathered by a passageway outside of Santa's house. Jack had all the new presents gathered in a bag.<p>

"All right, boys. The plaza in this direction should serve as a good spot. Christmas is only the day after tomorrow, so I hope we resolve this quickly."

Jack waved reassuringly. "Don't worry, it's foolproof! … Say, if you're particularly happy with this idea of mine and it works, and factor in how fabulous I look in this suit, could I maybe deliver the pres-"

Santa held his nose and flew back to his house. Sora, Donald, and Goofy stared in awe.

"… Did- Did he just do that? Is that really something he can do?" Sora asked. Nobody answered.

* * *

><p>The Christmas Tree Plaza was littered with small gifts, as well as one giant gift. Inside the giant one, the four friends waited to catch the thief.<p>

Donald's quacking could be heard from outside the box.

Goofy's voice was also audible. "Sure thing, Donald! I love 20 Questions! Are you a mineral?"

Donald quacked.

"You are? … Are you a tank?"

He quacked again.

"I win!"

"Shh! Our perpetrator approaches!" Jack announced, hearing metal sounds. Then the box shook. "Now!"

Everyone sprung out of the box. "Surprise!"

Everyone gasped. Before them stood the robot that Dr. Finkelstein had been building.

**Name: The Experiment**  
><strong>Nicknames from Barrel: Travis, Bob, Superfly<strong>

"It's Dr. Finkelstein's experiment!" announced Jack. "The experiment is the thief we've been looking for!"

Everyone jumped out of the box, as two elves nearby pulled a lever. A fence sealed off the plaza exit, keeping everyone trapped.

Sora turned to Jack. "What was this guy supposed to be for, again?"

"The kids said it was made to be their friend. But I remember Dr. Finkelstein saying something else. It was during the last time you were here, and he was tinkering with it."

_You see my boy, I'm experimenting to see if I can make my own video game boss!_

"Uh oh." Sora said. The experiment took on a threatening pose, and the party returned the gesture.

The robot swung both arms with reckless abandon, hoping to hit somebody.

"Nuh-uh!" Goofy blocked an attack with his shield. "I got me a shield."

Donald conjured a few fireworks that homed in on the experiment, and the explosions knocked the robot into a nearby tree. Jack used magic to set his arms on fire, ran up to the experiment, and pimp slapped it.

"You'd better hope this fabulous suit is fireproof, you fiend!"

Jack slapped the robot again, and its head came clean off. This made things worse, for then the head levitated above the plaza and started firing beams from its eyes.

"Geez! Why'd Dr. Finkelstein make a boss anyway?" Sora was exasperated, while dodging lasers.

Donald kept jumping around, avoiding lasers, while Goofy ran around and held his shield over his head.

"This is quite a predicament!" Jack narrated. He then noticed the robot's abandoned body. "Oh! Here's an idea!"

Jack ripped the vacuum arm off the body, and attempted swing it like a lasso for the rampaging head, but it turned on Jack and wrapped around him instead.

"Well played, Doctor. Well played."

Sora was getting progressively more frustrated. "This is getting ridiculous! We do anything while it keeps firing lasers! We'd have to be able to move really fast!"

Goofy was continuing to dodge more lasers. "In times like this, I sure wish I had more wisdom."

"Wisdom… That's it! Donald! _Let's go!_" The boy and the mage became one and Wisdom Sora emerged.

"Sora, how many costume changes do you average?" Jack asked, still tied up.

Wisdom Sora started sliding around the plaza, being too quick for the lasers. Free to take action, Sora fired several spells at the experiment's head.

"Golly, I guess I have more wisdom than I thought."

After enough rounds, the head floated over to the body and the vacuum arm released itself from Jack. As the arm slithered back to its host and the head reattached, Sora slid over toward the robot and reverted back to normal.

"Thank you and goodnight!" Sora shouted, and finished the robot off with a vertical cleave.

The robot deactivated, and the two halves fell to the ground.

"Well, our problems have been cut in half! Eh? Eh?" Jack looked around for a high five for his pun.

At that time, Santa flew in on his sleigh.

"Oh dear, I don't remember making that toy." Santa motioned towards the bisected robot. Goofy shook his head.

"No sir, that's what's left of the thief."

"Oh my." Santa walked over to get a closer look. "This wouldn't happen to be one of your doctor friend's experiments, would it?"

Jack nodded. "Yep! Now the only thing we're missing is a motive. … Maybe we should've thought of that before breaking it."

Santa sighed. "Well Jack, for what you've done, I think I can reward you. While I'll be the one delivering presents, I believe there's enough time on the schedule for a joyride around town, if you'd like."

Jack was in the sleigh in a flash.

"Hahahahaha! I've been waiting for this! On Dasher, on Dancer, on Prancer, on Vixen! On Comet, on Cupid, on Donner, on Blitzen! And Rudolph!"

The reindeer readied themselves and took off. Jack was tickled pink. "Wheee!"

"Huh. He knows the names of my reindeer, but still doesn't know mine properly." Then Santa turned to the three visitors. "If you're interested in my opinion, I think this robot really only wanted a heart."

"Hmm…" Sora started thinking about it.

"Now I just hope Jack returns with my sleigh soon. We're planning on doing a test flight around the world tonight. You didn't think a trip to every house in the world wouldn't be rehearsed, now would you? Perfect practice makes perfect performance!"

* * *

><p>Sora, Donald, and Goofy reported back to Dr. Finkelstein.<p>

"So my experiment didn't get stolen, it was the one doing the stealing? That's too bad. But it made for a very challenging battle? Then it was a resounding success!"

"I'd say more tedious than challenging, but yeah." Sora agreed. "Santa said that the experiment wanted a heart."

Finkelstein put a hand to his chin. "Could be. I didn't equip it with a heart when I built it, unlike Sally. Well, time for soup."

Finkelstein rolled away in his wheelchair, as Sally walked up to the party.

"I think I know why it decided to steal presents for a heart. It's because in a way, giving a gift is like giving your heart to that person."

Sora shrugged. "I guess so. Except now I feel bad for the robot."

"Aw don't worry Sora, ya didn't break it that bad. If the doctor wanted to, he could probably fix it." Goofy reassured.

Jack dropped down next to Sora and Sally.

"Hey I'm back! Wave to Santa!" Jack turned and waved, as the others started waving. Santa flew over in his sleigh.

"Happy Halloween!" Santa called.

Then it began to snow. Jack looked around, confused.

"What's this? What's this?" He rubbed his skull. "I'm not sure what's going on here. It's Christmas, but there's no bow or box!"

Donald quacked and Sally nodded in agreement.

"He's right, Jack. Christmas isn't about boxes or gifts. It's about being with people who you care about. It's about giving to others to make them happy."

Jack felt his chest. "Why… I'm moved! I feel happy right now! Thank you, Sally! What do you want for Christmas?"

"Why Jack, I'd just like to be with you."

"Nifty!" Jack exclaimed. The two started dancing together. Sora, Donald, and Goofy watched.

"…Did he just say 'nifty'? That kind of took me out of the moment. But still…" Sora started, "…seeing a really skinny guy dancing with a redhead reminds me… I don't think I got her a real present."

Goofy looked over. "Who, Kairi?"

"Yeah…"

Donald quacked about Kairi liking anything Sora would give her, as long as he did it with his heart.

"Yeah… maybe you're right." Sora started thinking of Kairi back home. "… She wasn't here, but I know we'll find her. And Riku, and the King. Merry Christmas, Donald."

Donald quacked the message back to Sora, and said it to Goofy too.

"Ahyuck! Merry Christmas, Donald! Merry Christmas, Sora!"

"Merry Christmas, Goofy." Sora turned to the dancers. "Merry Christmas Jack! Merry Christmas, Sally!"

Jack and Sally looked over and spoke at once. "Merry Christmas, Sora! Donald! Goofy!"

The Mayor walked up. "Can I be in on this?"

Sora shrugged. "Uh… I guess. Ahem." Sora, Donald, and Goofy then spoke up.

"Merry Christmas, Mayor!"

_**HALLOWEEN TOWN**_

To be continued. And to all, a good night.

* * *

><p><strong>Author's Notes:<strong>

Good timing on the return trip to Halloween Town, huh? There's some reality subtext going on, so that the story takes place on the 23rd (the same day as today, as I write this).

I do feel kind of bad for the experiment. You never visit Halloween Town again in the series after this time, so who's to say the experiment didn't get rebuilt and then found a heart? It's known that hearts can be obtained without stealing.

I'm not sure how exactly the gang decided instantly that they should fight the experiment in the game. I mean, it was stealing presents, but it seemed a bit unnecessary to beat it up right away. So I may have taken a few liberties. Finkelstein did actually say he was making a boss, if you check the last Halloween Town chapter.

Merry Christmas. Or whichever day(s) you celebrate.


	20. Scars Don't Heal

**Review Responses:**

herochan1313 - Oh Jack's not that bad, just a bit ignorant.

LittleKing9512 - I don't feel that bad for the experiment, only a little. And yes, this chapter is the return trip to the Pride Lands. Not sure what Sephiroth has to do with it at all, though. I'd appreciate it if you didn't perform skits in your review. And lastly, I haven't seen enough of Caius, so I wouldn't know if he resembles Sephiroth. Maybe. I know he sounds like Kain, thanks to Liam O'Brien.

Everybody else - Indeed, I hope it was a good holiday for you.

* * *

><p><strong>Chapter 19: Scars Don't Heal<strong>

Sora, Donald, and Goofy were back in the Pride Lands, changed again into their lion, bird, and turtle forms respectively. As they wandered aimlessly through the savannah in search of Riku, Kairi, or King Mickey, they heard footsteps.

"Golly, wonder what those could be." Goofy pondered.

"Okay, now!" a female voice called. Then the three hyenas jumped out from behind a rock. The voice was Shenzi, and she did not look happy. "Oh great, it's _you_."

"Man, just because you didn't like Scar, you had to go and get rid of him? Without Scar, now we're barely able to find food! You selfish chumps!" Banzai yelled.

Sora tilted his head. "Wait, Scar was running this place ragged. Don't tell me you were able to find food even with him in charge." The cub began to look around. "Actually, this place still looks pretty rundown…"

"Well… uhh… you see…" Banzai was at a loss for words.

"Huhuhuhuhuhuh!" chortled the third hyena, Ed.

Shenzi just shook her head. "Forget about it. Maybe there's a piece of that old elephant we didn't notice. Let's go."

As the hyenas started to walk away, Sora called out.

"Say, you haven't seen anyone strange lately, have you?"

"Heh! Besides you?" That earned Shenzi a glare from Sora. Banzai took it upon himself to answer.

"Why don't you go ask your buddy Simba? If he's not… _lion_ down in the dumps! Hahahaha!"

Shenzi and Ed joined in the laughter as the three left the visitors alone.

Goofy started pondering again. "Hmm, wonder what they could be talkin' about."

Donald did some quacking.

"You're right, Donald. We should just ask for ourselves." Sora agreed.

* * *

><p>As the gang made their way to Pride Rock, Donald noticed a silhouette that bore a striking resemblance to Scar.<p>

"Waaaak!"

"Oh Donald, don't be crazy. Scar's gone! You didn't see anything. Maybe you just feel guilty about helping defeat him." Sora reassured.

Donald did not believe Sora just said that to him. When the party reached the large, protruding stone, Nala greeted them.

"Sora, Donald, and Goofy? What brings you back?"

Sora would shrug if he were bipedal.

"Eh. We've been going to all the worlds we've visited, looking for our friends. I doubt they're here, but we have to try. Besides, it'd just be kind of weird to go to every world twice and then just leave this one out."

Donald quacked.

"Donald, if they were at Disney Castle, don't you think Chip and Dale would have told us?"

"How's Simba?" asked Goofy.

Nala winced. "He's… been kind of moody lately. The worst of it is that we really need him to do something about the state of the Pride Lands, but he's too busy moping."

"What? Our Simba? Moping?" Sora was in shock, despite the fact that Simba was no stranger to moping. "We'll sort 'im out!"

* * *

><p>Inside Pride Rock, Simba was lying down, deep in thought. Sora decided to go first at cheering Simba up.<p>

"Yo dawg, I heard about the Scar ghost! Let's bust him up!"

Simba looked up. "Oh… hello. That ghost… I don't know… What would my father do?"

"… Bust him up?" Goofy submitted. Simba looked away again, which told Goofy that he answered wrong. "Err… well hey, it don't matter what Mufasa woulda done, now _you're_ the king!"

"Hmm… So it really is all up to me…"

"Well we can help, but yeah!" Sora said. Timon and Pumbaa walked in.

"That's the spirit, Simba! I didn't raise no quitter!" Timon boasted. Pumbaa got a huge smile.

"Nope! He raised a bug eater! One time they had this snail eating contest, and-"

"Pumbaa, please. … I let him win." lied the meerkat. At that point, Nala walked in.

"It sounds like you've got everything figured out. I'm so glad."

Simba nodded. "Yep. Come on everyone, let's go see Rafiki!"

"Pass." Timon said instantly.

"Pass!" Pumbaa did the same.

"I'd like to… but I'm going to have to think of the baby." said Nala.

"Baby?" Sora, Donald, and Goofy asked at once. Sora smiled.

"Well hey, congratulations!"

"Mmmaybe baby." said Pumbaa.

* * *

><p>"Rafiki, what do you think?" Simba asked.<p>

Rafiki was in the middle of drawing something underneath his painting of Simba. Rafiki did not look away from his work.

"Rafiki?" repeated Simba.

"… Go talk to the hyenas in the elephant graveyard."

"Oh. … Okay."

* * *

><p>Sora, Donald, Goofy, and Simba all trekked across the savannah and into the elephant graveyard. The sights of ruined elephant skeletons did not sit well with Sora, Donald, and Goofy.<p>

"We didn't really spend much time here last time, but this place is really giving me the creeps."

Simba was undeterred. "You get used to it."

Donald quacked. Everyone looked over to find the hyenas just standing around.

"Well shucks, that was convenient! Hey, you fellers know anything about Scar's ghost?"

"What? Boy, you more messed up than Ed!" Shenzi mocked.

"Heheheheheh!" Ed cackled.

Sora sighed. "Do you or don't you?"

Shenzi and Banzai started laughing alongside Ed.

"Maybe, but you'll have to keep up!" taunted Banzai. All of the hyenas split up and ran deeper into the bone yard.

"Aw man!" Sora moaned. "Okay… Simba and I will go one way, Goofy goes the other, and Donald goes a third way. Okay? Go!"

Everyone ran into the graveyard's depths, and then split up to catch the hyenas.

"Ow, stupid rock!" Banzai cursed over tripping over a rock, revealing his location to Sora and Simba. "Aw crap."

Banzai started running from the lions, but the Decisive Pumpkin materialized in Sora's mouth, and the cub jump-slashed the hyena.

"Hey, cut it out!" Banzai swiped a paw at Sora, but as the young lion was detained, the older one tackled Banzai. "Okay, okay, you win!"

* * *

><p>Donald glided through the elephant graveyard in search of any sign of a hyena, when Ed's laughter became audible. Donald stopped and looked around, causing Ed to pounce. Had Donald not stopped prematurely, Ed would have had him. Instead, Ed banged his head on a rock wall.<p>

"Hehehehe! Ooooh!" Ed shook his head and ran away, but Donald kept after him. As Donald chased Ed through a makeshift four-way intersection, Goofy's turtle shell chased Shenzi across the perpendicular lane.

"You do _not_ wanna mess with me!" Shenzi stopped. "In fact… why am _I_ running?" She turned around to attack Goofy, but he did not stop chasing her, meaning that he was able to run right over her with his shell.

"Ooh… my head…" Shenzi fell over.

Goofy got out of his shell and walked over to the hyena, when he heard a quack in the distance, followed by thunder.

"Gawrsh!"

"Hahahaha… ha… ha…" Presumably, Ed was losing consciousness.

* * *

><p>All of the hyenas were backed up to a wall. Banzai looked around.<p>

"Wait a sec, how'd we go from getting beaten unconscious to standing with our tails to a wall?"

"… Shut up, Banzai." said Shenzi. "So what was it you wanted to know?"

"Scar's ghost!" Simba demanded.

"Oh that's the thing that shows up whenever certain lions decide to act like a little ***ch, ain't that right, Banzai?"

"Heheh! The force is strong in this one, Shenzi! Hahaha!"

"Huhuhuhuhuh!"

"That's… no… but… Rrrrr!" Simba was getting angry, when Sora tapped his foot. "Sora not now!"

"It's the ghost!"

"Wait, what?" Simba turned around and everyone got a good look at the ghost. It was definitely reminiscent of Scar.

"Hey Simba, would you happen to be a little ***ch? Hahahaha!" Banzai kept laughing.

"_They have a point, you know. You dethroned me, and this is how you bask in it? You really are a little bi-_"

"Can we stop calling me that?"

"_Boy, you sure suck compared to Mufasa!_"

Once again full of doubt, Simba ran away.

Sora sighed and turned to Scar's ghost. "You know, you're really not helping. And you!" He turned to the hyenas. "We just got him out of his funk and you have to go harsh his mellow?"

Shenzi rolled her eyes. "Harsh his mellow? Whatever, hippie."

"How do we know what hippies are?" Banzai asked. He went ignored.

"Hahaha! This turned out to be a good day after all! Let's go, boys." Shenzi lead the pack away.

"Yeah, that was a riot!"

"Hahahahaha!"

Sora turned to Donald and Goofy. "Let's go talk to Simba." Sora's companions nodded, and the three left. Scar's ghost was alone.

"_Yeah… yeah… I guess I'll just… I'll just go, or something. Kinda awkward now… being all alone… Yeah…_"

* * *

><p>Everyone went back to Pride Rock, where Nala and Rafiki were waiting.<p>

"Where's Simba?" asked the lioness.

"You mean he didn't come back here? Hmm…" Sora started thinking. Timon came riding up on Pumbaa.

"Hey, maybe he went to the oasis! That's where I'd go!"

"Ya think so?" the warthog looked up to his friend.

"Pumbaa, I don't think. I _know_. C'mon, let's all go. And by all of us, I mean you three guys. I'll just chill here."

Rafiki spoke up. "Simba should learn that what he thinks of himself is more important than what others think!"

"We kind of figured that. But thanks!" Sora said.

* * *

><p>"<em>I'm not touching yoooou. I'm not touching yooooou!<em>"

Scar's ghost was mercilessly teasing Simba.

"Hey Simba, let's go!" Sora called. Scar's ghost vanished just as Sora, Donald, and Goofy came along.

"Oh… hey guys…"

"What was it that Timon said? He didn't raise a quitter?" Sora asked. "Now get out there and show 'em what you're made of! No regrets!"

"Got it?" Goofy asked. Simba shook his head.

"I just… don't think I can ever measure up to my father."

Sora smiled. "You don't have to! You just need to do the best that you can do, and be the king in your own way!"

"I dunno…"

Sora sighed. "Fine. Forget it."

Donald quacked furiously at Simba and started flying away. Sora and Goofy followed suit.

Scar's ghost reappeared.

"_I say, you might be the most pathetic king I've ever seen, but they were certainly hard on you. And I do mean pathetic, by the way. Just… look at you! I bet you wouldn't even know which way was up if Mufasa hadn't been there for you!_"

"That's enough, Scar's ghost! I don't have to take this from you!"

"Oooo! Then try to stop uuuuus- I mean meeee! Oooooo!" Sora threw his voice from behind a bush and tried to use Scar's ghost as a ventriloquist dummy.

"Enough!" Simba tackled Scar's ghost. "My father ruled in the past, but the past is behind me!"

"Atta boy, Simba!" Goofy came out from behind the bush. "Now let's get back to Pride Rock!"

"SIMBA! SIMBA!" Everyone looked and found Timon running onto the scene, out of breath. "Simba, it's crazy!"

"Timon, what's wrong?" Simba asked. "What happened?"

Timon started to catch his breath.

"So there I was, chilling out on Pride Rock like I planned, when suddenly… say, Scar didn't have a bunch of twin brothers, did he?"

"No…" Simba started.

"Then it's even worse! Scar's ghost is all over the place! There's a million of him running around Pride Rock as we speak! Everyone but Nala got out of there! We gotta hurry!"

* * *

><p>Sora, Donald, Goofy, and Simba ran across the savannah, with Timon riding on Simba's back.<p>

"Easy, boy! Down! … HOLY MACKEREL!" the meerkat shouted.

Scar's ghost tried to pounce on Simba, but the lion got out of the way in time. The ghost dissipated upon hitting the ground.

Donald and Goofy stopped. "Gawrsh! You okay, Simba?"

"Yeah… I just didn't see that coming. Looks like Scar's trying to keep us from reaching Pride Rock. We'll have to be more careful."

"I'll say, I nearly lost my lunch!" Timon complained.

* * *

><p>At Pride Rock, Scar's ghost had Nala cornered toward the edge. Fortunately, Pumbaa bravely stood between the two. Unfortunately, Pumbaa was scared and stood no chance.<p>

"Uhh… say Scar's ghost, did I mention that I know krav maga? Uhhh, because I do!"

Scar's ghost crouched down, ready to strike.

"Oh no!" Nala's eyes widened.

"Oh there were so many bugs I had left to eat!"

"SCAR!" Simba roared. The ghost turned around. Simba, Sora, Donald, and Goofy were ready for him.

"Simba!" Nala was relieved.

"And me!" Timon said from behind a small rock. He was ready to help, too. Timon's version of help entailed giving Simba copious amounts of moral support and nothing more.

"Scar, get away from my friends."

Scar's ghost chuckled. "_Adorable._"

The ghost swaggered over to Simba. Just as he was ready to torment Simba some more, the king said something that shut the ghost up instantly.

"***ch, I said step off!"

"_That… that wasn't how I thought you'd say it. Kinda killed the drama, if you ask me. Allow me to offer my rebuttal._"

Scar's ghost dissipated again and flew into the savannah. More of Scar's ghosts did the same, and a dark cloud was amassed in the center of the whole savannah.

Timon came out of hiding. "So, is the coast clear?"

The dark cloud in the savannah cleared away. In the cloud's place was a skeletal beast much larger than Pride Rock, with a slightly smaller shaman riding atop.

"Nope! Not clear!" Timon went back into hiding.

"That's one of the biggest Heartless I've ever seen!" remarked Simba.

"Let's go." Simba said boldly.

* * *

><p>Sora and Simba were out in the savannah, ready to take on the beast. It was then when Sora noticed something.<p>

"Hey, where are Donald and Goo-"

"Move!" Simba tackled Sora, saving the lion cub from the Groundshaker's massive paw.

"What do you wanna bet that the guy on top is in control?"

Simba looked up. "I'm just surprised that this is what Scar's ghosts look like when they're mixed together."

Groundshaker started stomping around, trying to crush both of the lions, but Sora readied the Decisive Pumpkin, leaped up, and knocked one of the front paws back, putting the beast off balance and allowing it to topple over.

"Simba!"

"Together!"

Sora and Simba scratched up the Heartless's face for as many times as they could before they both tried a large roaring attack.

The Groundshaker started to stand up again, but the two lions nodded at each other, and leaped onto the beast's head while it was still low enough.

"RAAA?" grunted the shaman. In anger, it started rolling around the beast's back, trying to crush its opponents.

"Uh-oh!" Simba got further onto the beast's back and out of the way, followed by Simba.

"RAAAA!"

"He's mad, now!" Sora commented. Simba stood proudly.

"It's time for you to leave, Scar."

Simba leaped up at the shaman's face and started attacking, and that caused half of the mask to break off.

"RAAAAAAA!"

It landed somewhere on the ground, and Sora noticed dark energy emanating from it.

"That's it, that must be the core!" Sora leaped down to attack the mask half, but lasers started firing at him.

"Sora, watch out!"

"Huh?" Sora looked over, and the change in his head's position allowed it to avoid a laser. "What do you mean?"

A second laser was fired, this time from somewhere he could see. "Whoa!"

Sora dodged the laser, and went back to attacking the mask, though this time he also made sure to avoid any lasers. After a while, the Groundshaker got fed up and turned invisible.

"What? Where did it go?" Simba asked.

The invisible Shaman appeared on the ground near Sora, but Simba could still vaguely recognize its silhouette.

"Raaa!"

Sora looked around, confused.

"Nooo!" Simba leaped off of the beast's back and landed on the invisible shaman, attacking it before it could start punching Sora.

"What? Uhh, okay! You keep doing that, Simba!" Sora did not know what was going on, so he went back to attacking the mask, and then managed to destroy it.

"RAAAAA!"

Simba leaped off of the shaman and landed on the ground next to Sora, just in time to watch the beast fall over and crush the shaman. Scar's heart was finally free.

"Phew…" Sora started looking around and noticed Donald and Goofy. "There you guys are! What happened?"

Goofy was caught both upside-down, and with his shell in a crevice. Donald was attempting to get him out.

"… I'd rather not talk about it, Sora."

* * *

><p>Simba and Nala stood on Pride Rock, gazing into the barren savannah. Sora, Donald, Goofy, Timon, Pumbaa, and Rafiki were all there too.<p>

"Well I'd say everything worked out, here." Sora stated.

Rafiki nodded his head. "Yes, the Pride Lands are in good paws with King Simba! Hahaha! We will not forgot his courage! Or yours!"

Simba and Nala turned around, and the king spoke to Sora. "So Sora, do you think your quest will ever end?"

"I… I don't know. But I have to keep trying."

"That's the spirit, kid! You're gonna be eating hyenas for breakfast with that attitude!" Timon said. Pumbaa nodded.

"Yup-yup!"

Sora smiled. "Thanks, guys."

* * *

><p>Shortly after Sora's group left, Rafiki finally finished his painting.<p>

"Hahaha! Go on! Go on, with your strong hearts and win!"

Beneath the painting of Simba were smaller paintings of Sora, Donald, and Goofy's faces.

_**PRIDE LANDS**_

To be continued.

* * *

><p><strong>Author's Notes:<strong>

Well, break's over soon. I didn't write as many new chapters as I wanted to, but that's the way things go. I'll just have to do this whenever I can.

I had more fun with this chapter than I thought I would. But then again, Pride Lands is one of my favorite worlds in the game. I think technically the game refers to it as "Pride Land", but whatever. Scar definitely got a bit sillier after dying, didn't he?

I still don't understand why only Simba and Sora fight the boss at the end. There's no scene showing Donald and Goofy getting detained, so it's kind of strange. So I made up the excuse that Goofy got stuck somewhere, and Donald was trying to help him out.

Well, next level should be the return to Space Paranoids… except it won't be. There's one more world floating out there, which Sora and friends have yet to check out. Next time, we'll have to go deeper. We're going to have some finny fun. Get ready.


	21. Gone Fishing

**Review Responses:**

herochan1313 - Scar kind of deserved to be lonely.

Dracula X - I was worried Simba's line to Scar might've ruined the scene for some, but at least someone liked it. It was quite defiant though, I'll agree there.

LittleKing512 - So someone was thrown off by that line, whereas another person did like it. Well, can't please anyone. As for the next world, well you'll just have to scroll down.

ItsHimiChanTteba - I'm glad you're enjoying the story.

* * *

><p><strong>Chapter 20: Gone Fishing<strong>

After helping Simba solve his problems, the Gummi Ship started flying around in the Lanes Between, searching for any world they could visit. Sora sighed.

"We've been to every world, and no sign of Kairi, Riku, or the King. And now that I think about it, we haven't heard much from the Organization either. Or even Maleficent and Pete!"

"Gawrsh, things might finally be calming down."

Donald started quacking. Everyone looked on the screen and saw a new world.

"Wait… we know that world! Why didn't we see it before? Oh well. Maybe they're in that world!"

The Gummi Ship made a course for this new world. But unbeknownst to the friends, an ominous black silhouette was becoming visible in the far distance, north of Twilight Town…

* * *

><p>On the surface of the world, a storm had recently passed. A mermaid with red hair flitted through the water, admiring the scenery.<p>

**Name: Ariel**  
><strong>Thingamabob Count: 20<strong>

"I like it up here! And after a storm, the air's kind of wet. It's almost like being underwater!"

A plank floated past Ariel. Confused, she looked over and saw an unconscious man floating on some more lumber.

"Whoa!"

* * *

><p>Ariel took the man to shore. He was fit, well-dressed and had short, black hair.<p>

**Name: Prince Eric**  
><strong>Determination: 1210**

Ariel sat over the unconscious man and started singing.

"… _What would I give to_-"

"Huh, wha?" Eric started to wake up.

"Aaah! Didn't think he'd wake up so fast!" Ariel somehow maneuvered her way back into the water, despite lacking legs. By the time Eric woke up, he was alone.

"Who… who was that? Oh…" Eric returned to sleep.

* * *

><p>The next day, things were proceeding normally in the underwater courtyard. Fish were swimming, sharks were eating, sponges were cooking, all was well.<p>

_**ATLANTICA**_

When the creatures of the deep least expected it, Sora, Donald, and Goofy hit the ocean surface dead on. They sunk into the courtyard like a paper floating to the ground.

"Oww…" Sora moaned. He'd become a merman, though with a dolphin body instead of a fish body. "Donald, you said we'd teleport into the ocean, not above it."

Donald rubbed his head. He'd changed into a merman duck with octopus legs.

"Donald!"

Donald quacked apologetically.

"Donald, how come all yer spells turn me into turtles?" Goofy noticed that he had become a sea turtle, though his head remained the same.

Donald shrugged.

"Well this world is off the beaten path compared to the others, so maybe the Organization would hide Kairi here! Or Riku and the King would hide themselves! Or something!"

Ariel, a small crab, and a small, yellow fish all swam into the area.

**Name: Sebastian**  
><strong>Full Name: Horatio Felonious Ignatius Crustaceous Sebastian<strong>

**Name: Flounder**  
><strong>Full Name: Flounder<strong>

"Ariel, are you sure the things that fell from the sky are around here?" Flounder asked.

"Yeah!"

Sebastian tilted his head. "Wait, what were you doin' looking at the sky again, girl? You're not suppos- Oh!"

The three of them noticed Sora, Donald, and Goofy trying to swim.

"Sora!" Ariel greeted.

"Donald!" Flounder said, as he waved.

"An' Goofy!"

"Hey guys! … We kinda forget how to swim like this."

* * *

><p>After getting the hang of swimming as hybrid creatures once again, Sebastian made his way to Sora.<p>

"So Sora, what brings you guys back into dese parts?"

"Well we're going to every world to see if any of our friends are here, if there are any Heartless, or if these guys called Organization XIII are causing trouble."

"But I don't think them Nobodies would be underwater." Goofy told everyone.

Flounder thought for a minute. "Other than you guys, we haven't seen anyone new around here."

Sora slouched. "Rats, that means we're out of places to look. Well at least we got to see you guys again."

Sebastian looked over to find Ariel gazing upward. He quickly turned back to Sora.

"Say, want to be a part of dis big musical extravaganza? It sounds fun, don't it?"

Sora was confused. "What do you mean?"

Sebastian went over by Sora's ear. "We gotta have a musical! King Triton doesn't want Ariel thinking about the surface world, so he figures a musical will distract her and calm her down!"

"Well how would we help? We're from another world. If anything, having us help will send a mixed message."

"Well, uh… I'll give you a Keychain?" Sebastian offered. "Please, mon! I don't want King Triton to throw me to the seagulls!"

Sora nodded. "All right. Hey Donald! Goofy! We're going to be in a musical!"

"Gawrsh, I better practice my singin' voice!"

"Let me teach you all how to dance underwater!" Sebastian started. "Now… just picture somet'ing like a small, round stone with an X on it. Push it with good timin' and now ya dancin'!"

"Uh, okay…" Sora, Donald, and Goofy spoke in unison.

"Let's begin!"

* * *

><p><em>Song 1 - The Spiky Dance<em>

Everyone went to some sort of underwater stage.

"Hmm… Sora, do ya maybe think you can change your hair? It might be a bit distracting." Sebastian asked.

"Huh? My hair? But Sebastian, I like my hair. If you can't accept my hair, you're no friend of mine."

Sebastian looked confused. "What do you-"

Sora:  
><em>S (s, s, s, s)<em>  
><em>P (p, p, p, p)<em>  
><em>I (i, i, i, i)<em>  
><em>K (k, k, k, k)<em>  
><em>Y (y, y, y, y)<em>  
><em>Spiky! Dance!<em>

(Parody of "The Safety Dance", by Men Without Hats)

Sora:  
><em>I have hair how I want it. I can leave it overnight!<em>  
><em>Because my hair is fun, and if my hair's fun-<em>  
><em>Then I, think we're just fine.<em>

_I keep my hair really spiky. I've done it all my life._  
><em>Less so when I was four, and that was a bore-<em>  
><em>It's now spiky all the time.<em>

_Lots of gel._

Goofy:  
>"Ayuck!"<p>

Sora:  
><em>Riku said it was silly. That I look like a total goof.<em>  
><em>But the joke's on him, my hair really wins-<em>  
><em>It's now, star-ring in this spoof.<em>

_I could stop if I want to. But I don't think I will now._  
><em>Ariel is amused, the fish are enthused-<em>  
><em>And I really don't know how.<em>

Sora/(Ariel):  
><em>I could stop.<em>  
><em>I could stop(You could stop)._  
><em>But I am so on a roll.<em>  
><em>So I won't.<em>  
><em>No I won't(No you won't)._  
><em>Singing is my real goal.<em>  
><em>I can sing.<em>  
><em>I can sing(You can sing.)_  
><em>But I won't do any jazz hands.<em>  
><em>I can sing.<em>  
><em>I can sing(You can sing.)_

Sora:  
><em>So here is my Spiky Daaa-aaaance!<em>  
><em>The Spiky Dance!<em>  
><em>The Spiky Dance!<em>  
><em>Here's the Spiky Dance!<em>

_I will sing when I want to! I could do it all the time!_  
><em>But I don't know why, I can't stop guys-<em>  
><em>Please, help me end these rhymes!<em>

_I will not go much longer. And I can't leave friends behind._  
><em>We are all friends, until every world ends-<em>  
><em>And I, think that's all just fine.<em>

Sora/(Ariel):  
><em>I can sing.<em>  
><em>I can sing(You can sing)._  
><em>Hair is under control.<em>  
><em>I can sing.<em>  
><em>It's a thing(It's a thing.)_  
><em>I even took a poll.<em>  
><em>I can sing.<em>  
><em>I can sing(You can sing)._  
><em>Still not any jazz hands.<em>  
><em>I can sing.<em>  
><em>I can sing(You can sing)._

Sora (Goofy):  
><em>Now it's time for my daa-aaance!<em>  
><em>The Spiky Dance!<em>  
><em>The Spiky Dance!<em>  
><em>The Spiky Dance!<em>  
><em>The Spiky Daa-aance!<em>  
><em>Here's my Spiky Dance!<em>  
><em>The Spiky Dance!<em> (Ahyuck!)  
><em>The Spiky Dance!<em>  
><em>The Spiky Dance!<em>  
><em>The Spiky Dance!<em>  
><em>The Spiky Dance!<em>  
><em>The Spiky Dance!<em>  
><em>Here's the Spiky Dance!<em>

* * *

><p>"Dat was… … a song… I think…" Sebastian was at a loss for words.<p>

"It just sorta came out of me." Sora admitted. Ariel laughed.

"That was pretty good!"

Donald tilted his head. The duck did not hate his friend's song, but he did not find it to be particularly great. At that point in time, an older merman with a white beard, a trident, and a crown appeared.

**Name: King Triton**  
><strong>Status: Single (laaaaadies)<strong>

"Your majesty, we have guests!" Sebastian greeted.

"You missed my song." Sora said.

"Dat might be for the better."

"Hey!"

King Triton chuckled. "Good to see you three again. Has there been any danger?"

"No sir!" Goofy reported. "Everything's shipshape!"

"I even got dem to be a parta da musical!"

Triton stroked his beard. "Say, that's not a bad idea!"

Ariel swam a little bit further from the others and started looking towards the surface again, as Triton leaned in to Sora.

"You see, Ariel's a bit-"

Sora nodded. "Oh yeah, Sebastian told us about that."

"Oh?" Triton asked. "And did he offer you the Keychain?"

"Yep!"

"Good crab." Triton nodded. "So you'll do it?"

Sora nodded again.

* * *

><p>Eric was going for a walk on the shores, until he heard a girl's voice.<p>

"_We can sing if we want to, I think his hair's just fine. The Spiky Dance!_"

Eric's eyes lit up. "It's that voice! From last night!" He ran into the shallows. "Hello? Girl from last night? I never got to thank you for saving me! … So, y'know, thanks!"

* * *

><p>"Ariel, let's rehearse some more!" Sebastian said. Ariel shook her head.<p>

"I would, but… uh… Bye!" She quickly swam away.

"Dat girl, I swear…"

Flounder and Sora swam up to Sebastian. The former had an idea.

"Sebastian, I think I know what can help! Follow us!"

* * *

><p>Sora, Donald, and Goofy were trying to lift a boulder and get it out of the way. Beneath the boulder was a statue of Prince Eric.<p>

"And once we give this to Ariel, maybe having something new to look at will keep her busy!" Flounder said.

"This boulder's so heavy!" Sora said. "Oh wait! I can use magic! Gather!"

Sora used Magnet to get the statue.

* * *

><p><em>Song 2 - Part of Your World<em>

Ariel and Flounder were swimming into Ariel's secret grotto.

"What was it that you and the others wanted to show me, Flounder?"

Flounder laughed. "Heh, see for yourself! Ta-da!"

Ariel gasped. The statue of Prince Eric was now in her grotto. Donald quacked about all the different important things that man could be.

"A prince?" Ariel asked. "Wow!" She sighed dreamily.

Ariel:  
><em>Look at this stuff. Isn't it neat?<em>

Goofy:  
>Yes ma'am! And I'd say yer collection's pretty complete.<p>

Ariel:  
><em>But who cares? No big deal. I want mooooore!<em>

Goofy:  
>Oh…<p>

Ariel:  
><em>I wanna be where the people are. I wanna see… wanna see 'em dancing! Walking around on those- What do you call 'em?<em>

Sora:  
>Feet.<p>

Ariel:  
>Oh, "feet".<br>_Up where they walk, up where they run, up where they stay all day in the suuuun! Wandering free, wish I could be… part of that woooooorld…_

* * *

><p>Sora whispered to Donald, "Does she mean 'worlds' in the same way that we do?"<p>

Donald shook his head.

* * *

><p>Sebastian showed up in King Triton's throne room.<p>

"Sebastian? You're late for a change. Heck, usually you're here before I am! Is something wrong?"

"Well, uh… no?"

"… Wait, was that a question" Triton asked. "I'm asking _you_. _Is_ something wrong?"

"No, no, Your Majesty!" Sebastian reassured. "An' da musical, it's goin' _swimmingly_! Get it? Swimmingly? Eh? Eh?"

"That's good to hear." responded Triton, with Sebastian's bad joke going over his head.

"Ya, it's about how great the ocean is, too! That oughta get dat girl's head outta da clouds! Literally!"

"Great! Well I don't want to keep you from valuable rehearsing time."

"Oh it's nothing Your Majesty! It ain't like da musical is in any... _hot water_! … Eh?" Sebastian tried again. Triton was only confused. "I'll leave now."

* * *

><p>Ariel was still gazing wistfully at the surface. Sora, Donald, and Goofy were glancing concernedly at Ariel.<p>

"The statue didn't help at all. If anything, she's worse now." Sora said.

Goofy started pondering. "This can sound bad, but I think sometimes when you really want something that badly, ya just gotta get it outta your system."

"But what she wants is to see a whole new world, it's not simple like eating the last ice cream. Donald."

"Waak!"

Sebastian swam up to the others. "You tree! Dere you are! I've composed my magnum opus!"

* * *

><p><em>Song 3 - Under The Sea<em>

Ariel sat alone in a bright, yet unimportant area of the underwater world. She sighed.

"Ariel! Ariel!" Sebastian called as he swam up to her. "Have I got a song for you!"

"You do?" she asked.

Sebastian nodded. "All about da ocean!"

"Oh…" She winced. "That's… great…"

"I know!"

Sora:  
><em>The seaweed is always greener, in somebody else's lake!<em>

Sebastian:  
><em>You dream about goin' up dere! But dat is a big mistake!<em>  
><em>Just look at the world around you, right here on da ocean floor!<em>  
><em>Such wonderful things surround you! What more is you lookin' for?<em>

_Under da sea! Under da sea!_

Sora:  
>… Oh, oh you weren't singing this part? Whoops! Uh-<p>

Sebastian:  
><em>Up on the shore they work all day. Out in the sun, they slave away!<em>  
><em>While we devoting full time to floating, under da seeeea!<em>

Sebastian/(Sea Snails):  
><em>Under da sea<em>/(Under the sea)!  
><em>Under da sea<em>/(Under the sea!)

Sebastian:  
><em>Since life is sweet here, we got the beat here, naturally<em>/_(Naturally-y-y)!_

Sora:  
><em>Even the sturgeon and the ray-<em>

Ariel:  
><em>… They get the urge and start to play!<em>

Sebastian:  
><em>We got the spirit, you got to hear it, under da sea!<em>

Sebastian/Ariel(/Sea Snails):  
><em>Under the sea<em>/(Under the sea)!  
><em>Under the sea<em>/(Under the sea)!

Ariel/(Sora):  
><em>When the sardine begin the beguine-<em>  
>(<em>What does that meeeean?<em>)

Sebastian:  
><em>What do they got- a lot of sand?<em>  
><em>We got a hot crustacean band!<em>

Ariel/(Sebastian):  
><em>Each little clam here-<em>  
><em>Knows how to jam here-<em>  
><em>(Under da sea!)<em>

Ariel/Sora:  
><em>Each little slug here, cutting a rug here-<em>  
><em>Under the sea!<em>

Sebastian/(Sora)/(Ariel):  
><em>Each little snail here, know how to wail here-<em>  
><em>(That's why it's hotter!) (Under the water!)<em>  
><em>Ya we in luck here, down in the muck here-<em>

Sebastian/Sora/Ariel:  
><em>Under the seeeeea!<em>

* * *

><p>"Phew… that took a lot outta me…" Sebastian was out of breath underwater. "So what do you say, Ariel?"<p>

"Oh I loved it, Sebastian. But… I just don't want to sing that one."

"_What_? B-but it was my greatest work! I got hired to sing two albums after that! You even got into it towards the end!"

Ariel shrugged. "Well you don't have to agree with a song to enjoy it." She started swimming away. "I want to sing about how our world and their world can be together!"

"… I don't." Sebastian said, hanging his head.

Feeling awkward about being with Sebastian, Sora and his friends followed Ariel. Sebastian sighed and started complaining. King Triton swam up to the crab, quietly.

"I jus' don' know how I find myself in dese situations! First da girl falls in love with da human world! Then she falls in love with a human from dat world! King Triton's gonna have a conniption!"

"Is that so?" Triton asked.

Sebastion shrugged. "Well maybe, it depends on if he's in a good moo- …" Sebastian turned around. "Your Majesty!"

"This is serious. Sebastian, to the Triton Cave!"

Sebastian tilted his head. "You have a cave?"

"Well no, not really."

* * *

><p>Ariel, Sora, Donald, and Goofy swam up to the surface and watched Eric walk around the shore.<p>

"So that's the guy, Ariel? Let's say hello!" Goofy said. "Maybe talkin' to 'im will get things movin'!"

Ariel panicked. "No don't! He might think I'm weird or something!"

As Eric started heading back, he dropped some sort of pendant into the shallows. A wave came along and washed the pendant between a few boulders. The gang swam up to it.

"Ohhh! I won't be able to reach it!" Ariel lamented. Sora made his way past her.

"I got this. Gather!" Sora cast Magnet on the jewel, but it was no use. "Um… Gather!" Sora tried Magnera on the treasure, and this time it worked. "Here you go."

Sora gave the pendant to Ariel. "Thank you."

* * *

><p><em>Song 4 - Look, Ariel (Ursula's Mad World)<em>

(Song's not for a while.)

Everyone was hanging out in the grotto.

"I'm sure he'll love it!" Ariel stared at the pendant.

"Oh no he won't!" Triton said. Everyone was shocked. "Ariel, I told you humans were dangerous!"

"But Daddy, they can't all be that bad!" Ariel pulled out a chart. "Law of Probability dictates-"

"You know I struggled in logistic classes!"

Sora was about to step into the argument, but Donald and Goofy swam him behind a rock, so as not to interfere. Triton pulled out his trident.

"Move aside, Ariel."

"Daddy, no!"

"Daddy yes!" Triton declared. "I will get through to you, Ariel! Even if I have to do _this_!" He pointed his trident at the statue of Eric, but nothing happened.

Everyone was confused.

"Um… Even if I have to do _this_!" Still, nothing happened. Triton started shaking his trident. "Oh, good-for-nothing trident never blasts when I want-WHOA!"

As he was fiddling with it, a beam came out of the trident, bounced off a wall, nearly hit Donald trying to peek over the rock, and hit the statue, destroying it.

"Huh… Well, at least it hit the darn thing." Then Triton noticed the death glare from his daughter. "Ariel, the only reason I-"

But she ignored him and swam away. Behind the rock, Sora turned to his companions.

"Let's, uh… let's go anywhere that's not here."

* * *

><p>Ariel was sulking in the undersea courtyard. It was hard to tell if she was crying, since tears could not be distinguished from the ocean's water.<p>

"Oh poor child." an older woman said to Ariel. Surprised, the mermaid turned around. It was a large, purple woman with black octopus legs similar to Donald's.

**Name: Ursula**  
><strong>Sandwich?: No, sea witch.<strong>

"Ursula? Didn't we get rid of you a year ago?"

"Ah, ah, ah!" Ursula waved her finger. "You can't keep a good witch down! And I do mean that, by the way. I'm a good witch now."

"Yeah right."

"Oh but I am! Let me prove it to you!" Ursula swam closer to Ariel. "You're infatuated with that human and his world, right? Well it's your lucky day! I just happen to be able to make you a part of that world!"

Ariel was considering leaving, but she stopped.

"… How would you be able to do that?" the mermaid asked.

"Duh, magic! They call me a witch for a reason, you know. All you have to do is become a human!"

As Ursula started talking Ariel into turning human, Sebastian and Flounder swam into the courtyard. Ariel's friends stopped when they spotted Ursula.

"… Flounder. Go. Tell. Da king."

"Got it, Sebast-"

Two eels wrapped themselves around Sebastian and Flounder.

**Name: Flotsam, Jetsam**  
><strong>Significant Differences?: Not really<strong>

"Hey guys." Flotsam greeted.

"What's going on?" asked Jetsam.

Back with Ursula, she had finished her proposal.

"So what do you say, Ariel? I turn you into a human on the spot, and you just give me… oh nothing important, just your voice."

"My… my voice? But I like my voice! … But I love the human world… I'll do it."

Ursula nodded. "Oh by the way, my magic only lasts for three days. But that's not a problem if you just get him to fall in love with you by the third sunset. If you fail, you turn into a polyp for my cave."

Ariel was shocked. "Wait what? I thought you were trying to help me!"

"Oh! Uhh… Uhh… Well…" Ursula was struggling to find an excuse. She would be sweating, but her sweat would be indistinguishable from the rest of the ocean's water. "Well, uh… I don't make the rules for magic, that's just how it goes!"

Ariel gave Ursula a stern look.

"Honest, I'm really on your side in this! So come on, do we have a deal?" asked the witch.

"Hmm… Deal."

Ursula produced a contract and a pen. As Ariel signed her name, she looked away from it.

"Um, Ariel, you…" Ursula decided to remain silent. Ariel was not looking at the paper, so she did not see that she was writing all over the terms instead of on the dotted line.

"All done." Ariel said, solemnly.

"… Close enough."

Sora, Donald, and Goofy swam onto the scene.

"Hey guys what's going o-AAAAH! Ursula!"

"Chill out Sora, I'm good now."

"But you-" Goofy was interrupted.

"I'm helping!"

With that, the sea witch began casting her spell on Ariel. A fast current formed around the two females, and Ursula pulled out a conch. Ariel's voice exited from her throat and into the conch.

"…!" Ariel tried to speak.

The current stopped, and she was human. She had a makeshift white dress and was trying desperately to stay afloat, but was unable to breathe.

"Waak!" Donald swam over to her, followed by Sora and Goofy. They all swam her to shore as Ursula began to cackle.

"Ahahahaha! Ahahaha- Oh! Uhh, that laugh means I'm very happy for you, Ariel! Yeah, that's it…"

* * *

><p>That night, Eric was out for yet another walk on the beach. This time, however, he saw an unconscious Ariel.<p>

"Oh!" He ran over to Ariel and woke her up. "Excuse me? Are you all right? Are you okay?"

Ariel woke up and noticed Eric. She tried to stand up, but just fell right over. She tried to get up again, but this time he held her still.

"It's okay, you don't have to walk right now. Are you the girl who saved me? Who are you? Have you seen my dog? Where did you come from?"

"… …"

Eric turned his head. "Can't talk? Oh. It's all right."

Ariel remembered that she had Eric's pendant. The humanized girl pulled it out and presented it to the prince.

"Oh, my pendant! … Cool. Tell you what, you can stay at the castle. I want to help out. You won't fill the void in my heart since my dog went missing, but I think I can find room in it for helping you."

As Eric helped Ariel toward the castle, Sora's gang watched from behind a rock.

"He's a little out there. But I think she's got a winner." summarized the boy.

* * *

><p>Sora and Donald were watching Goofy play against Flounder in a version of Tic-Tac-Toe where X's were red rocks and O's were black rocks.<p>

"Goofy, make a move."

"Don't rush me, Sora."

Sebastian swam up to everyone.

"What are you doing? We have to keep an eye on Ariel!"

Donald quacked.

"Yes, I told His Majesty dat Ariel was busy wit learning wunna da songs for da musical. Now let's go! We don't want her… _making waves_! Eh? Eh?"

"I don't think it's a good time to make jokes, Sebastian." stated Flounder.

"You're just jealous, mon."

* * *

><p>Eric was walking Ariel on the shore. By now, she had been outfitted in a proper, blue dress. Ariel also had a blue bow in her hair.<p>

"So I go here pretty much every day. Not sure why. Maybe I think that if I come here enough, my dog will come back."

As he was speaking, Sora, Donald, Goofy, Flounder, and Sebastian were watching. Goofy turned to Sora.

"… Sora, can't Donald turn us into our normal selves and then we can keep a better eye on Ariel?"

"Goofy, that's silly. You're silly."

"No, I'm Goofy."

Sora sighed. "You know what? I'm just going after Ursula myself and making her fix this. Come on, Donald and Goofy."

Sebastian nodded. "Good t'inkin'! We'll stay here and keep watch!"

* * *

><p>A few days passed. Eric was taking Ariel to sea in a rowboat.<p>

"So I'm thinking maybe my dog swam to another island or something."

Nearby, Sora emerged from the water and Flounder noticed.

"Hey Flounder. First thing's first, we didn't really spend three days looking for Ursula. We spent a few hours, and then ended up helping this one fish find his son. It's a weird story."

"Oh. Well Sebastian had to go see King Triton about something. Oh! Look!"

Eric and Ariel were about to kiss.

"Come on, kiss the girl!" Goofy whispered.

Sora covered Flounder's eyes. Donald covered Sora's eyes. Just as the two were about to kiss, the boat shook.

"Mission accomplished." Flotsam and Jetsam said in Unison. Eric looked over and saw them.

"Those are some weird logs."

Flotsam was indignant. "We're not logs, you idiot."

"We're eels." corrected Jetsam.

"Oh. Okay."

* * *

><p>The next day at sundown, Ariel was crying on the shore. Everyone swam up to the shore to see what was the matter. Flounder was already there with her.<p>

"Hey guys. She's sad that Eric isn't noticing her anymore."

The three were stunned. Sora spoke first. "What? Why?"

"Probably because of that." Flounder pointed at the prince going for a walk with a new woman. She was singing in Ariel's voice.

**Name: Vanessa**  
><strong>Real Name: Ursula<strong>

"_Wish I could be… part of your wooooooorld!_"

Goofy tilted his head. "Guys, I think that's Ursula. Just throwin' that out there. Not to mention that the prince looks hypnotized."

"Oh, I'm sick of this!" Sora pulled out the Decisive Pumpkin and blasted the conch producing Ariel's voice. The conch shattered on the ground and sent the captured voice back to its owner.

"My head…" Eric felt dizzy.

"…!" Ariel stood up. "Falalalala! I can sing! I can talk! Eric!"

Eric noticed Ariel and ran over to her. As he did, the aquatics went into hiding.

"Hey, you can talk again! Good job! Wait… your voice… you're the girl from a few days ago! You saved my life and then you sang to me… for some reason. Thanks, by the way. For the saving. Though the singing was good too, you have a good voice. I… I love you."

"Oh! I love you too!"

"Oh no you di-in't!" Ursula got up, in full octopus woman form. The lovers looked over. Eric was confused.

"Um… who are you?"

"A 'good' witch." Sora snarked from behind a rock. Eric did not question this mysterious voice.

"Good, schmood. Point is, it's sunset, babies! Ariel, you know the rules!"

Ursula started struggling to get herself to the shore, and grabbed Ariel.

"Dude!" Eric was miffed. Ursula swam back into the depths with Ariel. "Don't worry Ariel, I'll save you!"

As he said that, Sora and the others were already after Ursula.

* * *

><p>Under the sea, Ariel had reverted back to mermaid form. Ursula held her close and Sora's gang arrived.<p>

"Ursula, you let her go!"

"Uh-uh-uh! She signed a contract!" Ursula showed Sora the contract. "She's mine, now!"

Triton appeared. "Yeah, how about no?"

"Now Triton, I know you mean well, but this contract is binding!" Ursula taunted. "Unless… you know…"

Triton sighed. "Oh for ****'s sake, is this a plan to get my trident? _Again_? Geez… Fine, take it, just promise you'll let my daughter go!"

"Works for me." Ursula snapped her fingers, and Triton turned into a polyp. As he dropped his crown and trident, the witch picked them up. "Niiiiice!"

"Daddy!" Ariel swam to what was left of her father. Ursula began to laugh. "Change him back!"

"No! Now if you'll excuse me, I-" but Ursula was interrupted.

"Ow! Ow! Ow!" Flotsam grunted.

"Quit it! Quit it! Quit it!"

Ursula turned around and noticed Eric had just finished beating up Flotsam and Jetsam.

"My babies! How dare you, human!"

Sebastian and Flounder showed up.

"What did we miss?" the crab asked.

"As my first order of business as the new ruler of the sea, I say we have a musical number!"

Ursula started hiding herself in black, inky smoke, as Ariel took Eric to the surface. Flounder and Sebastian got Triton to safety, and Sora's group followed Ariel.

* * *

><p>Ursula rose from the water. She was giant, and wielded Triton's old trident and wore his crown. With her power, she created a storm and began to rap.<p>

(Parody of "Look Pimpin'!" from the _MadWorld_ soundtrack.)

Ursula: (rapping) (to Ariel)  
><em>You see my crown.<em>  
><em>Now you wanna come and give me all your frowns?<em>  
><em>I think you better leave town-<em>  
><em>Because my rap is going to tear you down.<em>

_What you want again girl?_  
><em>I went and helped you be a part of that world.<em>  
><em>Don't let my demeanor fool you,<em>  
><em>On the other hand, now I rule you.<em>

_Don't worry, I'm not gonna hurt you._  
><em>Maybe I'll just go and slightly burn you.<em>  
><em>My little poopsies made an oopsie.<em>  
><em>Now little Eric saved his groupie.<em>

_You listen me, look at me, while I'm rapping._  
><em>You thought me a saint, well now I'm sappin-<em>  
><em>The trident, thinking I'm the queen of the place.<em>  
><em>Now 'round this time I'd say that is the case.<em>

_Look Ariel, I ain't playing._  
><em>In a minute, you're gonna be laying-<em>  
><em>In the sea, thanks to me.<em>  
><em>My trident, my rules, my power, my spree.<em>  
><em>Look Ariel, I ain't playing.<em>  
><em>In a minute, you're gonna be laying-<em>  
><em>In the sea, thanks to me.<em>  
><em>My trident, my rules, my power, my spree.<em>

Ursula: (rapping) (to Eric)  
><em>Signed paper, days later.<em>  
><em>Up to date. Figuratively, I don't hate her.<em>  
><em>I'm greater, with this scheme of mine.<em>  
><em>Yeah I might be a fish, but I do have a spine.<em>

_I just kept, seeing that king so much._  
><em>And that's it, now I just came to clutch-<em>  
><em>His power for my own, now it's my show.<em>  
><em>It don't take much, though that's how it goes.<em>

_That girl's had a thing for you._  
><em>She really likes your world, but your love will do.<em>  
><em>You can't see, you a doggy nut.<em>  
><em>I can't believe she could ever get you shuttin' up.<em>  
><em>A lot of work and I come struttin' up.<em>  
><em>I strike now, don't hesitate to suckin' up, you're nothin' much.<em>  
><em>You just lost, you chump. On your gravestone they'll be sayin' you suck.<em>

_Look Eric, I ain't playing._  
><em>In a minute, you're gonna be laying-<em>  
><em>In the sea, thanks to me.<em>  
><em>My trident, my rules, my power, my spree.<em>  
><em>Look Eric, I ain't playing.<em>  
><em>In a minute, you're gonna be laying-<em>  
><em>In the sea, thanks to me.<em>  
><em>My trident, my rules, my power, my spree.<em>

Ursula: (rapping) (to Ariel)  
><em>You see my crown.<em>  
><em>Now you wanna come and give me all your frowns?<em>  
><em>I think you better leave town-<em>  
><em>Because my rap is going to tear you down.<em>

_What you want again girl?_  
><em>I went and helped you be a part of that world.<em>  
><em>Don't let my demeanor fool you,<em>  
><em>On the other hand, now I rule you.<em>

_Don't worry, I'm not gonna hurt you._  
><em>Maybe I'll just go and slightly burn you.<em>  
><em>My little poopsies made an oopsie.<em>  
><em>Now little Eric saved his groupie.<em>

_You listen me, look at me, while I'm rapping._  
><em>You thought me a saint, well now I'm sappin-<em>  
><em>The trident, thinking I'm the queen of the place.<em>  
><em>Now 'round this time I'd say that is the case.<em>

_Look Ariel, I ain't playing._  
><em>In a minute, you're gonna be laying-<em>  
><em>In the sea, thanks to me.<em>  
><em>My trident, my rules, my power, my spree.<em>  
><em>Look Ariel, I ain't playing.<em>  
><em>In a minute, you're gonna be laying-<em>  
><em>In the sea, thanks to me.<em>  
><em>My trident, my rules, my power, my spree.<em>

* * *

><p>"Ooga-booga!" Sora leaped out of the water and knocked the trident out of Ursula's hands.<p>

"Ow! How'd you even do that?"

"Um… I don't know." Sora fell back into the water.

"Hey Black Baron, look what I found!" Eric called to Ursula. She looked over in time to see the prince standing in a small boat. He threw the trident at her abdomen, as if the trident were a javelin.

"Aw h*** no!" Those were Ursula's last words before she disappeared in a fog of ink. "Aaaaaaaah!"

The storm ended, and Ariel peeked out from under the water. Eric noticed her.

"Hey Ariel, you can come out now."

Silently, the mermaid went back into the water and jumped out, displaying her fishtail. She surfaced again.

"And that's why we're not allowed to be together. I'm sorry, Eric." After hearing this, the prince seemed unimpressed.

"… Is that all?" Ariel was stunned. Eric kept going. "I said that I love you, right? We're all different in our own ways. Come to think of it, I'm not that great at swimming. Could you teach me?"

"… Yes! But… could you maybe not talk about your dog so much?"

"For you, yes."

They embraced, as Sora, Donald, and Goofy smiled. Sebastian appeared.

"Sora… I think you can have dis now." He handed Sora the Mysterious Abyss Keychain. It transformed his Decisive Pumpkin Keyblade into the Mysterious Abyss.

"Cool! But aren't there still some lose ends to tie up?"

"… Aaah! King Triton! Now that Ursula's gone, da spell wore off! I gotta see if he's okay!" Sebastian dived back down into the sea.

"By the way, what is a dog?" Ariel asked.

* * *

><p>The next day, all was well under the sea again. Sora, Donald, and Goofy were talking to Sebastian.<p>

"So I'm happy for them, I think they'll get along fine." Sora said.

Ariel swam past everyone, with Flounder following.

"Hi everyone, my talk with Daddy went great, gotta do something, bye!"

"Dat was peculiar…" Sebastian muttered. "Anyway, would you guys stick around for one more song?"

"Gawrsh Sebastian, we'd love to!"

"Great! Ya just need to have Thundaga!" Sebastian told Sora. "No real reason, I'm just weird like dat."

"Well… ever since Simba and I beat that giant Heartless, I've been feeling confident with that kind of spell. I think I can pull it off."

"Great, let's sing!" Sebastian swam off, and the three friends followed him to the stage.

* * *

><p><em>Song 5 - A New Day Is Dawning<em>

Mermaids:  
><em>Welcome the dawning of a happy age of new beginnings.<em>  
><em>Land and sea have come together, joined in peace and harmony.<em>  
><em>Fairytales and miracles are what we're singing of.<em>  
><em>Our dear princess, Ariel, truly fell in love!<em>  
><em>With a prince, a human prince who lived so far above.<em>

Ariel:  
><em>Wishes really can come true, when you want them to.<em>  
><em>And this happiness inside, I owe to ev'ry one of you.<em>

Mermaids:  
><em>How about you introduce us to these lovely friends of yours?<em>

Ariel:  
><em>Come take a bow: Donald, Goofy, and Sora!<em>

Donald:  
><em>Wak-wakwak-wakwak, wak wakwak wak waaaak!<em>

Goofy:  
><em>You fell into love, and you took a chance!<em>

Sora:  
><em>We were glad to help you out in any circumstance-<em>

Sora/Donald/Goofy:  
><em>Seeing how you're glad at last-<em>  
><em>Just makes us want to Spiky Dance!<em>

Ariel/(Sora):  
><em>Wishes really can come true-(You can sing)!_  
><em>If you want them to(You can sing)!_  
><em>And this happiness inside-(Everything's under control.)_  
><em>I owe to ev'ry one of you!<em>

Mermaids:  
><em>Be so kind as to introduce the King, and these his loyal friends!<em>

Ariel:  
><em>Please say hello: Daddy, Sebastian, Flounder!<em>

Triton: (rapping)  
><em>You see my crown-<em>  
><em>And let me tell ya Ariel-<em>  
><em>I sure am proud.<em>

Sebastian:  
><em>Yes, happy endings are so rare and so few!<em>

Flounder:  
><em>Even though I think that he ruined this song's mood.<em>

Sebastian/Flounder:  
><em>Seeing how he did a rap-<em>  
><em>It makes us think our hearing's zapped.<em>

Mermaids:  
><em>Any other friends of yours that might be waiting in the wings?<em>

Ariel:  
>Nah.<p>

Mermaids/Donald/Goofy:  
><em>A new day is dawning on a happy age of new beginnings!<em>  
><em>Land and sea have come together, joined in peace and harmony!<em>  
><em>Fairytales and miracles are what we're singing of!<em>  
><em>Our dear princess, Ariel, and Prince Eric from above!<em>

Everyone:  
><em>A happy end forever after…<em>

Goofy:  
>Ahyuck!<p>

Everyone:  
><em>Full of joy and love!<em>

* * *

><p>"… I know I make a point to go and be friends with everyone I see… but even I think that song was a bit cheesy. … Ah well, at least everyone's happy." Sora stated.<p>

Suddenly a bubble formed and Sora's Mysterious Abyss Keyblade started reacting to it.

"Oh! The Keyhole! I forgot all about those! I haven't unlocked one of these since Twilight Town!"

With help from the random bubble, Sora unlocked Atlantica's Keyhole.

"Sora?" Ariel swam up. "What happened?"

"I think… a pathway has opened. I don't know where it is, but it's there somewhere. I know I'll find it."

Sebastian and Flounder swam up with Donald and Goofy. "So dis is goodbye?"

Sora shook his head. "Nah, we'll come back! Hit it, boys."

Sora/Donald/Goofy:  
><em>We can go when we want to! But we can come back, don't forget!<em>  
><em>And when we come back, we'll have a big laugh-<em>  
><em>Because, we are all still friends!<em>  
><em>The Spiky Dance!<em>

_**ATLANTICA**_

To be continued.

* * *

><p><strong>Author's Notes:<strong>

So, Atlantica. In my first draft, Sora and friends visited this world as soon at it was unlocked, and went through all the events. But in this version, they only visit after they've beaten the Pride Lands for the second time. In the game, beating the Pride Lands for a second time nets you the Thundaga spell, which is the requirement for the final song in Atlantica, so I thought it'd be good to get these in one go.

The songs… "Swim This Way" is just too cheesy, so I just replaced it with my own song, which is a parody of the Safety Dance. And I only realized that the final song is just as bad as the first one when I was writing it. I am a little proud of Ursula's song, though. It's a parody of "Look Pimpin'". That's the final boss music from a game called _MadWorld_, I'd recommend listening to it if you haven't already.

Did they even explain Ursula reappearing in this game? I checked her "death" in the first game. I suppose she could've lived through that, but still. And hardly anyone seems to recognize her for what she's done in the past. Yeah she's a sea witch, but she was also in league with the Heartless. So I kind of took some liberties with that scenario. Between that whole thing and appearing in _Dream Drop Distance_, Ursula's all about randomly appearing.

So there are only two Disney worlds left, then we'll tie up some loose ends, and then we'll get the finale on the road.


	22. Tron Gets a Legacy

**Review Responses:**  
>Luckenhaft - Yeah I guess Triton really was one of the clowns of that chapter. Glad you liked it.<p>

Dracula X - Thanks. Well, I've written song parodies in the past, so all I really needed to do was make sure that whatever I wrote would be able to match the beat. You know, make sure the syllables are similar and that what I do have rhymes. It doesn't have to rhyme with the original, but it should rhyme internally.

insert name here please - Thank you for the review. My plan after this and my other current stories is to maybe take things easy and try some oneshots so that I don't lose motivation. Give myself something easier to do, you know? But someday I'd like to do more Kingdumb Hearts, and DDD is one I'm considering.

* * *

><p><strong>Chapter 21: Tron Gets a Legacy<strong>

Sora, Donald, and Goofy made it to Hollow Bastion.

"Gawrsh Sora, what're we doin' back here?"

"Well we ran out of places to look for Kairi and Riku."

"What about Twilight Town? They coulda went there after we left!"

Sora considered this. "Oh yeah. Maybe they did!"

At that point, some Heartless were spotted running around. Donald sighed.

"Wait, there are still Heartless here? Gee…" Sora and the others went down through town.

* * *

><p>After a while of walking, a bunch of Strafer Heartless from Tron's world appeared outside of Merlin's house.<p>

"ELIMINATE USERS." bleated one Heartless.

"ELIMINATE."

"ELIMINATE."

Sora tilted his head. "Wait, aren't these the Heartless from Tron's world?"

The town's security system appeared, much to Donald's relief. But instead of vaporizing any of the Strafers, it tried zapping him.

"WAAAK!"

"ELIMINATE USERS."

Sora summoned the Mysterious Abyss and attacked the Heartless. "There."

A Magnum Loader appeared and started driving in circles around the party, but a well-timed giant shuriken made short work of the monster.

"Hey guys!" Yuffie greeted. She ran up to the three and retrieved her weapon. "Follow me, and hurry!"

* * *

><p>Everyone entered Merlin's house. Cid turned from working on his computer.<p>

"Well, about time you showed up." Cid greeted. "And lemme guess, you didn't tell them what's going on."

Yuffie was attempting to go through Goofy's pockets. She stopped and looked at Cid.

"Can't you do it?"

"Friggin' ninja… All right, listen up kids. That ol' MP3 in the computer's causin' all sorts of ruckus."

"Ya mean the MCP?" Goofy corrected. Cid pointed at him.

"Don't you backtalk me. So anyway, Leon n' Aerith went up to Ansem's lab when they noticed strange Heartless. Turns out there's a secret lab past the computer room, and there's a machine in there that materializes the Heartless from Tron's place!"

"Whoa! No way!" Sora was bewildered. Yuffie, meanwhile, finished pick pocketing Goofy.

"Just some gum? Seriously?" Everyone looked at her. "Oh! Uhh… anyway yeah, that MCP's being a big jerk! Oh, and he hacked the defense system."

Donald quacked about Tron. Yuffie shook her head.

"We can't find him! Cid searched for him, but all we found was something about a 'game grid'."

Cid stood up. "Yeah and it don't sound like a fun game, neither."

"No, it's actually pretty fun. If you ignore the fact that your friends are held hostage in the Recycle Bin." Sora recalled. "We'll go check on Tron."

"You do that. I'll finish working on an Eradicator for that nasty program." Cid went back to work.

"Which will only work because of _my_ magic." Merlin taunted. Cid pointed at him.

"Quiet, you."

* * *

><p>After fighting past the waves of Heartless, Sora, Donald, and Goofy reached the computer room.<p>

"Oh you're here. How's the Eradicator?" Leon asked.

"Almost done. Did you find Tron yet?" Sora countered with a question of his own.

Leon shook his head. "We can't get in touch with him. So I guess he's done for."

"Well gawrsh Leon, did you try goin' into the computer to find Tron in person?"

Leon stood there for a minute, saying nothing.

"… Leon?"

"So I'm gonna go back to Cid's place. Aerith, are you good here by yourself?"

Aerith looked up from savagely beating a Strafer with a staff.

"… I'll take that as a yes." stated Leon. "That reminds me, Sora, I have this for you." Leon gave Sora a new Keychain.

"Wow, thanks, Leon!"

Leon nodded. "Yeah. It's the Sleeping Lion. Might help you out in there. Oh, and tell Tron to head to the I/O Tower. That's how we'll get the Eradicator to him.

With that, Leon left and Sora turned to the computer and started pressing buttons randomly.

"Transfer, Sora. Transfer, Donald. Transfer, Goofy. Scanner, Sora. Scanner, Donald. Scanner, Goofy. Virtualization!"

Sora, Donald, and Goofy were zapped and taken back into Space Paranoids.

* * *

><p>Leon kicked down Merlin's door. "Cid, I'm here!"<p>

"What'd you kick the d*** door for? You loon! Anyway, here's the Eradicator."

"Which only works because of _magic_, might I add!" Merlin continued to get on Cid's nerves.

"Cool beans."

* * *

><p>Sora, Donald, and Goofy appeared on the Game Grid and found Tron faltering as he tried to fight off all the Heartless.<p>

"Oh no! Tron!"

Tron looked. "Sora! Donald! Goo-" he was shot down by a Devastator.

"ELIMINATE TRON. … USERS FOUND. ELIMINATE TRON AND USERS."

"I don't think so! _Light_!" Sora absorbed Donald and Goofy, and his circuit lines became yellow. This was Master Sora in data form.

Sora ran up to the Heartless and slaughtered them with the help of Sleeping Lion and Mysterious Abyss. When they were all destroyed, Sora and Tron reappeared in the pit cell.

"Oh, that was sudden. So Tron, are you okay?"

Tron nodded. "Yeah, thanks for the assistance. Where are Donald and Goofy?"

Sora shook his head. "Don't worry about them, they'll be here again soon. What's going on, Tron? The MCP's going nuts!"

Tron sighed. "It's not good. He's getting ready to begin his assault on the users outside this mainframe."

"Getting ready?" Sora asked. "He's already started materializing Heartless in the town!"

"Then it's worse than I feared…"

"But don't worry! Cid's got an Eradicator we can use, we just have to get you to the I/O Tower!"

Tron's eyes lit up. "Great! … Who's Cid?"

Donald and Goofy emerged from Sora.

"You don't know about the others, Tron? Well we've got lots of friends helping out!" Goofy told him.

"That's great to hear." stated Tron. "… So, the I/O Tower? Well then, let's bounce, Users!" said Tron.

* * *

><p>Sora, Donald, Goofy, and Tron broke into the IO Tower's hallway, but a few Strafers showed up.

"ELIMINATE USERS AND TRON."

"ELIMINATE USERS AND TRON."

"ELIMINATE USERS AND TRON."

"Gawrsh, they just keep comin'!" Goofy observed. Sora readied his weapon.

"I sure hope Leon's having an easier time…"

* * *

><p>On the path to the castle, Leon was slashing down Heartless as they were appearing.<p>

"ELIMINATE USER."

"Yeah, yeah, heard it before." Leon cut down a Strafer.

As he got to the castle entrance, a Devastator appeared.

"LASER LAUNCHER CONFIRMED. BEGIN CHARGING SEQUENCE."

"Rough Divide!" Leon ended the Devastator. "Phew… They just keep coming. Hope Sora's got it easier than this."

* * *

><p>Aerith sat around, bored, as Leon kept trying and failing to mess with the interface.<p>

"YOU ARE LAUGHABLE, USER. YOUR ACCESS TO MY INTERFACE HAS BECOME CANCELLED."

"But I wanna check my tumblr!"

"Leon, can I try the disc already?" Aerith asked.

"Knock yourself out."

Aerith walked up to the disc drive.

"WHAT'S GOIN' ON, BABY? CAN'T YOU SEE I'M-" The MCP was interrupted when Aerith inserted the disc. "WHAT? HEY! AAAH! DANG! ***CH I'MMA PIMP SMACK YO A** WHEN THIS PROGRAM FINI- AAAAAAAAHHHH!"

"_Uploading Eradicator. Upload progress at… 1%. … Upload progress at… 2%._" announced another voice.

Leon winced. "Ooh, this'll take a while."

* * *

><p>Sora, Donald, and Goofy were asleep in the IO Tower. Tron stood patiently in the center, holding his disc skyward.

"Any second now… Any second."

There was a loud noise, and it woke the Users up. Meanwhile, Tron's disc was taken in by a tractor beam. After some flashes, it descended back into Tron's grasp.

"Ah! On top of everything else, I've received a power boost, and now I know how to operate the Solar Sailer. Now we can reach the MCP!"

"Aw, and I was havin' a nice dream…" lamented Goofy.

"It's weird though, there's a completely foreign energy in this disc, as well."

Sora explained it. "Oh, that's some of Merlin's magic. No worries."

* * *

><p>Everyone was aboard the Solar Sailer as it went along the line to the MCP's location.<p>

"Hey guys, we oughta look out. The MCP's probably got some kind of defense system."

"Like what?" Sora asked. A Devastator flew past, dropping off two Magnum Loaders before landing on the deck itself.

"UNAUTHORIZED FLIGHT. ELIMINATE TRON, ELIMINATE USERS, WEIGH DOWN THE SOLAR SAILER." the Devastator announced.

"ELIMINATE TRON. ELIMINATE USERS. WEIGH DOWN THE SOLAR SAILER."

"ELIMINATE TRON. ELIMI-" Donald struck the Magnum  
>Loader with Thundaga.<p>

The wizard quacked to Tron, and Tron nodded.

"That's right, if we lose too much altitude, we'll crash and then we'll never make it to the MCP. We gotta hurry!"

The other Magnum Loader started driving around the deck and attacking as the Devastator jumped up and down. Sora leaped up and grappled with the Devastator while Goofy threw his shield at the Loader's wheel, sending it clumsily zooming into the abyss.

"Think that's all of them?" Sora asked, finishing off his opponent. Then a bunch of Strafers appeared. "Oh. Guess not."

The party was dealing with all of the Heartless, when the final wave, four Devastators, appeared, surrounding the party.

"LASER LAUNCHERS 1-4 CONFIRMED. LASER LAUNCHERS 1-4 CHARGED. FIRE." one Devastator said to all of the others.

Sora, Donald, Goofy, and Tron each blocked one laser blast. When the Heartless were done, all four of them ran up to the ones they were blocking and fought back. Soon, the Heartless were all dead, and the Solar Sailer safely reached the Central Computer Mesa at the correct altitude.

* * *

><p>Everyone ran into the Central Computer Core and noticed a large, orange, segmented column with a wide face on the upper segment. The whole thing was spinning around and around in the central abyss. There was a tiny core separating the segments.<p>

"Well anyway, that's the MCP." Tron gave the tour. Donald and Goofy looked over and noticed Sark glaring at them.

"Err, we're not alone." warned Goofy. Tron and Sora looked over.

"Oh yeah, that guy. Who's he again, Tron?"

"Sark…" Tron said venomously.

Sark returned the sentiment. "It's time… for de-resolution!"

Four Strafers appeared.

"DE-REZZ!"

"DE-REZZ!"

"DE-REZZ!"

"DE-REZZ!"

"Attack!" Sark motioned for the Heartless to swarm the party, but Sora ran up to the enemies.

"Firaga!" Two fireballs swept the area around Sora, roasting the Strafers and Sark, leaving only Sark alive.

"Gaaah! Insolent Use-" Goofy started bashing Sark over and over.

"Golly, maybe we shoulda just done this in the first place!"

Donald cast Thundaga on Sark.

"Blasted Users!"

"All right, guys. My upgrades should allow me to get rid of him for good."

"Right!" Sora, Donald, and Goofy agreed. They backed off from Sark as Tron charged energy into his disc. He then threw it and got Sark right in the face.

"Uaaaah!"

With Sark down, everyone turned back to the MCP.

"WHEEEEEEEEEE." MCP deadpanned as he enjoyed spinning around and around. He eventually stopped to face the party. "TRON. WHY? WHY WOULD YOU REFUSE JOINING MY CAUSE? WE ARE STRONG, INDEPENDENT PROGRAMS WHO DON'T NEED NO USERS. THEY'VE EVEN INFECTED YOUR LANGUAGE SETTINGS."

"Step off, yo!" yelled Tron.

Sora winced. "Actually yeah, we can have less of that. We can also have less of you, MCP!"

A segmented wall materialized around the chasm.

"SARK, ALL OF MY FUNCTIONS ARE NOW YOURS." The MCP filled Sark with power.

This power allowed Sark to grow to immense size. The henchman towered over Sora, Tron, and the others and took a stance.

"Wielder of the Keyblade? Official Hollow Bastion Janitor? Come on, ***ch!" Sark shouted.

Sark stomped over toward the party as the MCP's defense wall began to rotate at light speed.

"Bigger don't mean better, Sark!" taunted Tron. The program began attacking Sark's shins, and Donald and Goofy got the same idea.

"AAAAHHH!" Sark got down on one knee, while Sora leaped up and slashed Sark across the forehead. "Data error detected…!"

Sark was immobilized, and the wall around the MCP stopped spinning.

"ELIMINATE ALL THREATS!" MCP announced. Some wall segments began firing lasers, but Sora dodged expertly as he bashed away at the wall. Once a segment was destroyed, he called Tron over.

"Let's finish this!" said Tron. "Running executable!"

Tron held out his disc and Sora used his Keyblade to amplify Merlin's magic in the disc in order to delete the MCP.

"UUUAAH! UUAAAH! UUUAH! UAAAH!" The MCP was being strained, and Donald and Goofy could not do a thing to help.

"Well Donald, looks like they have this one under wraps."

The duck merely nodded, but was surprised when the MCP regained control of his wall, and blasted Sora with a laser on a remaining wall panel. The MCP lived on for the time being.

"Ow!"

"_Eradication of the Master Control Program - 50% Complete._" a female, computer voice announced.

"_Darn right it is!_" said a recording of Cid's voice.

"Sora!" Tron called.

"IS THAT THE BEST THE USER CAN DO? SARK, RESTART!"

Sark was revived again. "Thank you, sir." He looked down at Donald and Goofy. "I know I'm only a program with no emotions… but I shall enjoy this."

His hands lit up and he reached for Donald and Goofy, but the two made a beeline for his shins and let loose.

"GAAAAH! Wretched Users…!"

"Oww…" Sora got back up. "Gotta find that opening!" Sora began to run around the room, searching for the gap in the MCP's wall, but Sark noticed him after only a few steps.

"Going somewhere, User?"

Sark created a wall before Sora. Without words, the boy leaped up to the top and made a spinning dive toward Sark's face.

"Why is it always the fa-" Sark's complaint was interrupted by the attack. "Data error detected!"

"Sora, instead of searching for the one opening, it'll just be faster to make a new one!" said Tron.

"Got it! Come on, guys!"

Everyone worked together to make a larger opening on another part of the wall.

"YOU USERS ARE NOT UNLIKE A VIRUS. THEY'VE CORRUPTED YOU, TRO- AAAAH!"

"What happened?" Goofy asked.

"ACCESSING FACEBOOK. NAME - LEONHEART . PASSWORD - RINOA."

"Leon's messing around on the computer again. That gives us an opening!" cheered Sora. The party finished making an opening in the wall.

"Tron!"

"Back in the game!"

Sora and Tron resumed their assault on the MCP's core.

"LIKING STATUS- UUAAAH! UUUAAAAAAAHHHHHHHHHH-"

"_Eradication of the Master Control Program - 100% Complete_."

"_Darn right it is!_"

"WILL… WILL I DREAM?" the MCP asked. It turned blue and disappeared. Sark followed suit.

Tron gazed at the empty center of the room wistfully.

"Welp, there goes the MCP!" Sora said. Tron nodded.

"Sora, Donald, Goofy… and to all the Users… Thank you."

"Aw, it weren't nothin'!" reassured Goofy.

Tron shook his head. "No, I don't mean just the MCP, but for teaching me about being friends, and all that stuff. Really, thank you."

Tron pulled in all three of his friends for a hug. After they were done, Donald quacked.

"Well isn't that what friends do when they say goodbye?"

"Well sometimes…" Sora thought about it. "But don't worry, we'll see each other again."

Tron nodded. "We will. Count on it."

With that, Tron ran and dived headfirst into the large hole in the ground, to the surprise of everyone else.

"Tron!" they all looked in horror. Tron had just left them.

* * *

><p>Aerith had just finished kicking Leon out of the computer room. Then Yuffie ran in.<p>

"Aerith! Guess what!"

"What is it?"

"… You're supposed to guess. Ah well. Listen! All of the computer Heartless are disappearing! You were right, everything linked to the MCP would disappear when he got hit with Cid's thingamabob!"

"That's good." Aerith did not mince words. Yuffie nodded.

"Yeah, and since they got rid of most of the normal Heartless, that means there are fewer of the local Heartless too!"

At that instant, Sora, Donald, and Goofy rematerialized.

"We're back. Tron died…" Sora hung his head.

"_Oh, but I didn't!_" Tron's voice was synthesized in order to speak through the computer speaker, much like the MCP had.

"Tron, is that you?" Goofy asked.

"_Yep! Say, I just found something in the archives. It's the town from when it was first built! Check it._"

* * *

><p>Everyone stepped out of their houses and noticed glowing flower petals falling from the sky. Cid was the first to comment.<p>

"Well, ain't this nostalgic?"

"I'll say!" agreed Merlin.

* * *

><p>Leon and Cloud stood in the restoration site.<p>

"Oh yeah…" Leon recalled. "Remember, Cloud? Remember the town's real name?"

* * *

><p>"Real name?" Sora asked. He, Donald, Goofy, Yuffie, and Aerith all stood at the castle postern.<p>

Aerith nodded. "Yep. We forgot it after everything with the Heartless started. But… Well, now I think things are finally starting to go back to the way they used to be."

Sora tilted his head. "But what's the town's real name?"

_**HOLlo**w bastion…_

**.**

**.**

**.**

**_RADIANT GARDEN_**

**To be continued.**

* * *

><p><strong>Author's Notes:<strong>  
>And that's a wrap for Space Paranoids and Hollow Bast- I mean Radiant Garden. But there's still a few things to do before tackling the climax of the game. I see at least one or two chapters before going on to the final world.<p>

For the record, MCP, no. You won't dream. _Kingdom Hearts 3D_ reveals that data does not dream. Not that you're 'asleep' as much as you're just plain deleted, now. As for Yuffie's statement on the MCP's Heartless getting rid of the Heartless indigenous to Hollow Bastion, I like to think that's the reason there are supposedly fewer of the HB-native Heartless.

The MCP would probably think that any Heartless not of his creation were too impure. In the game, the MCP did create Strafers, Devastators, and Magnum Loaders after getting access to data on the Heartless. So I like to think they're a little different, even if operating on the same principles.

I also decided that the MCP's Heartless could speak. Not a lot, just basic robot drone things to say. I thought it'd make things more interesting. Also, just like the last chapter, there is a _MadWorld_ reference. At least two, in fact, though they may not be obvious. Sark's taunt to Sora right before their rematch is my favorite.

Heads up, I'm going to surreptitiously go back to the older chapters and edit them. I'm just going to be adding line breaks, fixing any grammar/spelling mistakes I see, and maybe removing minor jokes that I'm not happy with. Nothing major.


	23. Pooh Gets It Memorized

**Review Responses:**

Ragnarok Warrior - I think I know why you replaced 'eliminate' with 'exterminate'. Is that because of the robots on _Dr. Who_? I don't really watch that show, but I know they have robots saying that. And I'm glad you liked the theory about the Heartless.

Dracula X - I liked _Tron Legacy_. It felt a little empty, but overall I was a fan. I actually watched it for the first time before getting _Dream Drop Distance_, just so I would appreciate the world more. I wouldn't mind seeing it again. And I think the game did a good job at capturing the movie.

Luckenhaft - Ah, you caught the _Code Lyoko_ joke, good job. I'm pleased to hear that you enjoyed the chapter. We are in fact getting close to the finish.

* * *

><p><strong>Chapter 22: Pooh Gets It Memorized<strong>

_PREVIOUSLY, ON KINGDUMB HEARTS II:_

_Chapter 11:_

_"Oh Sora, it's awful!" Merlin declared. "Some Heartless came in and ripped the pages right out of this book! If you see those pages, could you return them? They should be scattered around the worlds."_

_Sora tilted his head. "Wait, why would they scatter-"_

_"Just do it, boy!"_

* * *

><p>Sora stood still in Radiant Garden. He was still outside the postern with Donald, Goofy, Yuffie, and Aerith after Tron showed them the town's archive.<p>

"Aw nuts!" Sora snapped his fingers.

"Hmm?" Yuffie looked over. "What's wrong?"

"Last time we were here, Merlin wanted me to help him with something, but I was so distracted with all the Heartless, Nobodies, and revisiting all the worlds that I forgot all about it!"

Sora turned to find Donald and Goofy making snow angels in the falling flower petals.

"Come on, guys! We gotta help Merlin!"

"Awww…" Donald and Goofy moaned in unison.

* * *

><p>The three went back to Merlin's house.<p>

"So, I presume that my magic and my magic alone was responsible for getting rid of that blasted computer thingamajig, correct?" Merlin would not let this go.

"Well it helped. So Merlin, before we go find the pages in that book, would you mind if we see what book it is, so we know what to look for?"

"Of course, lad! In fact, I can send you right into the book itself!"

Cid overheard this conversation from his tea table.

"Old loon… Can't believe ya kept that lousy book when we made the move from Traverse Town."

Merlin looked offended. "It's my favorite!" He turned back to Sora. "All right Sora, here you go!"

Merlin waved his wand and tapped Sora on the top of his head, sending the boy into the book.

* * *

><p>Sora found himself on the landscape of the book's pages. There were images of a forest on the ground around him. One such image popped up from the ground, and resembled a tree.<p>

"Say… I think I know where I am!"

Sora smiled as he ran up to the tree and found himself spirited away into an actual forest.

_**100 ACRE WOOD**_

The boy came across a fat, yellow bear in a red shirt sitting on a log. The bear seemed lost in thought.

"Hey, Pooh Bear!"

**Name: Winnie the Pooh/Pooh Bear**  
><strong>Description: Silly<strong>

"Oh. Hello."

"Long time no see! How are you, Pooh?"

Pooh got up. "Oh I'm fine, I suppose. I was actually about to begin my stoutness exercises, so maybe we could talk later."

Pooh tried to do a jumping jack, but fell onto his back. He kept perfectly still. Sora was a little dejected.

"Oh. Well all right, Pooh. Do you know where Piglet or any of the others are?"

"I don't think I know anyone named 'Piglet'. Or any of these 'others', for that matter. And, not to be rude, but I don't believe I know who you are, either."

Sora cringed. "Oh. This must be the work of the Heartless ripping out those pages. I'll be back later, Pooh."

"If you say so." Pooh was still laying on his back.

* * *

><p>Sora emerged from the book to the surprise of Donald, Goofy, and Merlin, and to the indifference of Cid.<p>

"Gawrsh Sora, how was it?"

Sora shook his head. "Not good, Goofy. Pooh's forgotten about everyone he knows!"

Merlin stroked his beard. "Ah, this must be where those Heartless ripping his book's pages come into play."

"Well we just have to go to the different worlds like you said, right Merlin?" asked Goofy.

"Indeed. But I think I have a way to make things easier… SHAZAM!" Merlin cast a spell on Sora. "Now you can recognize the otherworldly signature emanating from the pages in the other worlds. That just leaves you with the task of actually tracking them down once you get _into_ the worlds."

Cid rolled his eyes. "Well you just have a spell for everything, don't ya?"

Sora turned to Donald and Goofy. "All right guys, let's go!"

* * *

><p>Sora ran out of the Gummi Hangar at Disney Castle, followed by Donald and Goofy trying to keep up.<p>

"Waaak!"

"Yeah Sora, wait up!"

Sora kept running until he made his way to the library. On the way, Donald and Goofy stopped when they heard a noise in the audience chamber. They both decided to take a peek inside.

"Waak!"

"Gawrsh!"

They quickly closed the door. Sora walked up to the guys.

"All right, I found the page!"

Donald and Goofy looked nervously at each other.

"Uhh Sora, we think you should see this…"

* * *

><p>A large, bluish wormhole was occupying some space close to the Cornerstone of Light.<p>

"Hmm… This portal makes me uncomfortable. Let's see what's on the other side."

Donald questioned this plan.

"Oh we'll be fine! Besides, this could be Maleficent's plan to try to take the Cornerstone again. Or maybe even the Organization's plan. Or maybe maybe Riku and Kairi are in there!"

With that in mind, Sora hopped into the portal. Donald and Goofy gulped and followed suit.

* * *

><p>Sora, Donald, and Goofy found themselves surrounded by dusty plateaus.<p>

"Geepers fellas, this place is givin' me the spooks!" said Goofy.

Sora kept looking around. "So… this definitely isn't part of your castle, then?"

Donald gave Sora an incredulous look. Immediately afterward, some dusty wind carried a new sight. A caped suit of brownish armor kneeling and holding a Keyblade appeared. The wind dropped off an armored man a few yards before Sora.

"Whoa… What is that?"

**Name: Lingering Sentiment/Lingering Will**  
><strong>What Drives Him?: Hatred<strong>

Accompanying the wind were the sounds of metallic echoes that almost resembled a voice.

**_…qua… en… …is that… eyblade? … e've met befo…_**

Goofy tilted his head. "Is he tryin' to say something?"

"I don't know. Hey, are you talking to us?" Sora asked the knight. The knight's echoes became more audible.

_**… I've met you… but you're not the one… I didn't pick you… Where is he?**_

Sora, Donald, and Goofy remained just as confused as before. Sora tilted his head.

"What are you talking about?"

**_If you aren't him… and you aren't my friends… it means… Xeha… Xehanort. You are Xehanort! XEHANORT!_**

The knight stood up and took a stance.

"No, no, you have it all wrong, I'm not Xehanort!" Sora tried to explain, but it was too late.

_**XEHANORT!**_

"Uh oh."

The knight began to run at Sora. He unleashed a flurry of rapid attacks with his own Keyblade, narrowly missing Sora and the others.

"That was clo- Whoa!" Sora barely had time to breathe, as he kept dodging the attacker's advances.

Goofy ran up to him to attack, but the knight effortlessly smacked Goofy away and into a rock spire with his Keyblade, without even looking.

"Waaaak!"

Donald was getting furious. He started casting spells, trying to get at the knight as he attacked Sora, but the foe was too fast. The knight briefly jumped away from Sora and glanced at Donald. The duck's eyes widened.

"Donald!"

Neither Sora nor Donald had time to react when the knight's Keyblade turned into a rocket launcher and blasted the wizard with a large sphere, sending him into the same spire as Goofy.

"Your Keyblade can do tha- Aaah!" The knight aimed his second shot at Sora. Instinctively, Sora blocked it and the orb bounced off his Sleeping Lion. "Ha! Take that, armor guy!"

"…"

The knight's Keyblade turned back into its normal form and he reflected the shot just the same as Sora had.

"Oh… Oh yeah. Uh oh!" Sora blocked again, but was surprised to see that afterward, the sphere kept going into the distance. The knight was gone. "Where'd he go?"

Sora had a bad feeling and turned around just in time to see the knight smack him with his Keyblade and send him flying a few yards.

"Owww!"

"…" The knight ran over to Sora and began creating weird gear ridges out of pure energy, with which to attack Sora. The young boy was sent flying again.

"Oh man!" Sora recovered and landed on his feet. "Double oh man!" Sora just saw the knight throw his Keyblade into the air. It came back down as a hovering motorcycle, and the knight was charging, ready to plow Sora.

"…"

Sora leaped out of the way in the nick of time, and found himself doing this repeatedly while the bike kept turning around to have another go at him, with Sora barely dodging each time the enemy came back.

"Geez, you're insane! And I haven't even landed a single hit! I'm gonna need some help. _Light!_"

Sora attempted to activate his Master form, but remembered that Donald and Goofy were unconscious.

"Oh yeah… kind of need them awake… Oh wait, there's the other form! _Let's go!_" Sora became Limit Sora once again, and began applying Dodge Roll to escape the wrath of the motorcycle with more ease.

When the knight finally stopped trying to run Sora down, Sora let loose Ars Arcanum, a flurry of Keyblade strikes. Sora finally caught the knight off guard and had him where he wanted him.

"Back off!" Sora knocked the knight a little ways.

He followed up with throwing his Keyblade in a Strike Raid. The knight shook it off and turned his Keyblade into a rocket launcher.

"Oh not this attack again!"

The knight shot at Sora, and Sora reflected it. The knight reflected again, and this time Sora caught sight of the knight leaping over him. Sora quickly sidestepped the sphere and let the knight land just in time to get hit.

"Ha, got you that ti-" the knight recovered quickly and began using generic swing attacks once more. "No time to gloat, even!"

Sora then got the idea to Dodge Roll to get behind the knight. He followed up with the charging Sonic Blade attack over and over in the same direction, until Sora knocked the knight into a different spire.

"Firaga!" Sora set the knight on fire, but the challenger was still about to take a giant swing at Sora.

"No!"

"…"

"Sora!" Donald and Goofy called out. They had woken up again.

Donald cast Blizzaga on the knight, freezing it, but he almost instantly broke loose. Donald's spell did, however, give Goofy enough time to come in and let his shield take the hit for Sora.

"Trinity Limit!" Sora called.

The three of them rapidly attacked the Lingering Sentiment in unison before backing off and blasting orbs at him. The knight staggered, but still stood.

"Uh, fellers?"

"Ultima!" cried Sora. The three of them cast Ultima on the knight, and then landed back on the ground. They raised their weapons into the air and hit the Lingering Sentiment with one last spell.

"…"

The knight leaped over to a safe distance from the three, and did nothing. Sora, Donald, and Goofy were out of breath.

"Are you… done now?" Sora asked. Donald fell onto his back.

The metallic echoes occurred once again.

**_…I see now… Him… He rests within you…_**

The knight knelt down once more, and was carried away by the same dusty gale that brought him in.

* * *

><p>The portal spit Sora, Donald, and Goofy out on the floor in the Hall of the Cornerstone.<p>

"Geez! What _was_ all that?" Sora asked, incredulously. "I mean, I had a feeling that something strange would be in the portal, but nothing like _that_!"

"It sure was unexpected…" Goofy remarked.

"Oh… By the way guys, I'm sorry for making you go in there with me, seeing how he…"

Donald and Goofy stood up, and the former shook his head. Goofy agreed.

"It weren't nothing, Sora. Who knows? Maybe it'll come in handy later!"

"I hope so…" Sora muddled, as he got up. "It's too bad he left so fast, or we could've maybe learned something. Oh well." Sora turned to look at the portal. "So what about this portal? Think we should do something about it?"

"Nah, that guy didn't seem too dangerous once he figured out you weren't Xehanort. And no one comes down here anyway." answered Goofy. "So how about we go and see if Pooh will feel any better after putting this page in his book?"

Sora smiled. "Good idea!"

* * *

><p>Sora placed another page in the book and Merlin took him inside. When Sora made it to the other side, another pop-up tree appeared. Piglet's house.<p>

* * *

><p>"Hey shhhonny! It'shhh Windshhhhday!" said a little, gray gopher toward Pooh.<p>

**Name: Gopher**  
><strong>Part Time Job: Coach<strong>

"Oh. Well happy Windsday to you!"

Sora walked up to the scene. "Hey Pooh, do you remember anything yet?"

Pooh looked at Sora. "Oh, hello again, person whom I don't know. I'm sorry, but I'm afraid I still can't remember."

"Help meeeee!" cried a smaller voice. Everyone looked and saw a tiny bipedal pig being blown around by the wind.

**Name: Piglet**  
><strong>Tiny Rating: 45**

"Gather!" Sora used Magnega and Piglet gravitated towards the lad. Sora grabbed him and set him on the ground.

"Th-thanks, Sor-AAAAAHHH!" Piglet got blown away again. Sora sighed as an owl came up to him and Pooh.

**Name: Owl**  
><strong>Would you like me to repeat that?: Yes<strong>  
><strong>Name: Owl<strong>  
><strong>Would you like me to repeat that?: Yes<strong>  
><strong>Name- SHUT UP<strong>

"Sora, could you take care of that?" Owl asked.

"Yeah… Wait, can't you fly?"

"… Oh. So I guess I could get him myself… Huh." With that, Owl flew over and grabbed Piglet, and then set him down safely on the ground. "There you go."

"Thanks, Owl." Piglet turned to Pooh. "So how ab-about now, Pooh? D-d-do you remember me?"

Pooh thought about it. "Oh! You're Piglet."

"That's right!" Piglet cheered. Sora got excited.

"And me? Who am I?" Sora asked. But Pooh shook his head.

"I'm sorry, but I still don't know."

"… Maybe if I got more of the pages from the Heartless…"

* * *

><p>The gang's next stop was in the Pride Lands. Sora's magic-induced locator ability led the three of them to Timon and Pumbaa's oasis.<p>

Donald asked if they should check in on Simba. Sora shook his head.

"Nah, he's probably busy with trying to fix up the Pride Lands. Let's leave him be for now."

* * *

><p>When Sora entered the next area of the woods, he noticed Pooh flying by way of holding onto a balloon. Beneath him was a large donkey with a tail attached by a nail, and he was standing next to some stacked sticks.<p>

**Name: Eeyore**  
><strong>Houses Built per Week: 11 (on average)<strong>

Eeyore sighed.

"I bet he's gonna fall and break my house…" And lo and behold, Eeyore's prophecy came true. "Yep, just as I figured. Can't get too mad though, it was probably gonna fall anyway."

Sora and Piglet came up to Pooh and Eeyore.

"Oh, I'm sorry for ruining your… um…" Pooh tried to apologize, but did not know what he had destroyed.

"It was my house, Pooh. But it didn't look too much like a house, so I can't blame you for not knowing…" Eeyore sighed again.

"Oh… and what's your name?"

Sora shook his head. "Pooh, that's Eeyore. Everyone knows Eeyore!"

"All the ***ches love me…" Eeyore stated in his usual tone.

"What if we fed Pooh some honey?" Piglet submitted.

"I don't think it will work, but I won't crush the dream…" Eeyore slowly marched away. "I know where some honey is…"

Eeyore led them all to a pile of honey pots.

"Look upon it and rejoice…" Eeyore said with a sigh. Pooh sat down and promptly started eating the honey out of the pots. At that point, a yellow rabbit walked up.

**Name: Rabbit**  
><strong>Rabbit Season?: Duck Season<strong>

"Pooh? Pooh, don't eat my honey!"

Pooh turned around. "Oh. Hello, other person I don't know."

Rabbit did a double take. "Wait, what? Pooh, it's me! Rabbit!"

"I'm afraid I don't know any 'Rabbit', though if I did, I'm sure they would be a pleasant fellow."

Rabbit sighed. "Piglet, what's this all about?"

Piglet jumped up and down. "Oh Rabbit, it's horrible! Pooh doesn't remember a-anyone except for me! We tried feeding him honey, b-but I don't think it worked!"

Rabbit put a hand to his chin. "Maybe if he goes and finds my secret stash of extra rations, he'll figure it out. Sora, could you go with him?"

Sora nodded. "Sure thing."

* * *

><p>"Whee!" Pooh cried.<p>

"Whooooooa!" Sora kept navigating and barely missing obstacles as he surfed upon a honey jar to take Pooh to Rabbit's stash. "This is just weird!"

* * *

><p>Sora and Pooh returned with Rabbit's extra pots. Pooh dug into the honey, making disturbing noises with his mouth the whole time.<p>

Sora winced and started whispering to Eeyore. "… Pooh… Pooh kind of scares me when he eats."

"He scares everyone…"

Pooh eventually finished. "I must say, you had some good honey, Rabbit."

"Thanks, Pooh Bear. Wait- you called me by my name! Aha! You remember me!" exclaimed Rabbit. "Quick, tell me who that guy is!" Rabbit pointed to Eeyore.

Pooh took a full minute to think this over. "Um… let's see… He's Eeyore."

"I feel special…" Eeyore said as he hung his head. Sora leaned down next to Pooh.

"And me?"

Pooh shook his head.

* * *

><p>In the Land of Dragons, Sora, Donald, and Goofy entered the Emperor's throne room.<p>

"Please excuse us, Your Majesty." Sora apologized as he and his party bowed. "A friend of ours has lost his memory, and there are said to be pages from another world in your throne room, and that these pages can help him."

The Emperor looked up from reading a scroll.

"Huh? What? Oh sure, knock yourselves out."

"Cool, thanks."

"Gawrsh Your Majesty, it's nice of you to understand."

The Emperor shrugged. "Eh. I was wondering why those weird monsters put those things in here anyway."

* * *

><p>Sora found himself in the woods once again. He entered the new location and saw a kangaroo hop up to Pooh and Piglet, carrying a potion. A smaller kangaroo was riding in her pouch and wearing a blue sweater.<p>

**Name: Kanga**  
><strong>Relatives: Kangaroo Jack, the kangaroo from <em>Tekken<em>**

**Name: Roo**  
><strong>Fighting Game Splash Taunt: "You'll Roo the Day!"<strong>

The mother kangaroo looked down to Piglet. "I heard all about Pooh's situation. This potion should help him."

"Yeah, Mama made it, so it's gotta work!" Roo bragged.

A semi-anthropomorphic tiger came bouncing along, using his tail as a pogo stick.

"Thomethin', thomethin', Tiggerth! And I'm the only one!"

**Name: Tigger**  
><strong>Favorite Power-Up: The Spring Mushroom<strong>

"Oh, a prethent! Thankth!" Tigger swiped the potion and hopped away. "Off to beat that plumber'th record for betht jumper!"

Sora sighed. "Come on, let's go after him…"

Tigger did not get far at all before Sora caught up to him.

"Hey Tigger, can we talk?"

"Oh sure thing, Thora, ol' buddy ol' pal! How are ya?" Tigger asked.

"Eh. Pretty good. But Pooh Bear isn't doing so good. He doesn't remember anyone, except for Piglet, Eeyore, and Rabbit."

"Not even moi?" the stuffed tiger was shocked. "What a predicament!"

"So yeah, can you return that medicine?"

Tigger waved a paw dismissively. "No, there'th no need! All he needth to do ith do a little bounthin'! With me!" Then he walked over to Pooh. "What do you thay, Pooh Bear? Wanna give it a thot?"

"That sounds fun, bouncy guy I don't know."

"Mamamia…" Tigger put a palm to his face.

Pooh was confused. "Tigger, I didn't know you spoke Italian."

"Well I uthually don't, but- Hey! Wait a thecond! You called me 'Tigger'! Woohoo! You remember me after all!"

* * *

><p>Magic Carpet dropped Sora, Donald, and Goofy off at the tower in the ruins near Agrabah.<p>

"Thanks, Carpet." the three said in unison. As a response, Carpet made one tassel appear as if it were giving them a thumbs up.

Sora quickly went inside the tower and came out with a page.

"All right, that should do it!"

* * *

><p>Sora returned to the 100 Acre Wood yet again, and this time he entered a cave. At the entrance were all of the residents of the forest, save for Pooh.<p>

"Hey guys. What's going on?"

"P-p-p-Pooh Bear is somewhere in the cave!"

"Oh, we should find him, then!" said Sora.

* * *

><p>At the end of the cave, everyone found Pooh sitting on a rock. He was thinking very hard.<p>

"Pooh, my boy! There you are!" Tigger said.

Pooh broke from his concentration. "Oh. Hello, Tigger. I'm here. Hello Piglet, Rabbit, Eeyore, Owl, Gopher, Kanga, and Roo too."

Eeyore spoke up. "I wasn't remembered last. This was a victory for the side of good…" Then he sighed.

"Pooh, why are you here?" Roo asked.

"Well, it's just that I wanted to remember the last friend of mine, but I just couldn't. Oh, bother. Sora, if I can't remember who he is, I don't know what I'll do."

Sora started laughing. "You know, Pooh, I don't think you have to worry about it. You just called me 'Sora'!"

Pooh had to think this over. "… Oh, so it appears I did. Well, looks like things worked out after all. Let's all eat honey to celebrate!"

"Yeah, I'd be cool with getting out of this cave…" Rabbit said.

A Keychain appeared before Sora. He now had the Sweet Memories Keyblade.

* * *

><p>Out on the pages, Sora noticed that there was still a missing section.<p>

"But… weren't those all the pages?" Sora asked himself.

* * *

><p>Sora returned to Merlin's house. The wizard noticed that all but one page had returned. "Oh dear! One page is still missing. And since you've never detected them, this must mean they're not in any of the other worlds you've been to!"<p>

Donald sighed.

"Not so fast, Donald! If you could sense all of the missing pages by their otherworldly signature, and yet there's still one missing, what would that mean…?" Merlin quizzed.

Donald's eyes lit up, as did Sora's and Goofy's.

The friends spoke in unison. "It's in this world!"

"Righto! Do hurry!"

* * *

><p>After going all over town and finding nothing, the party decided to try searching in the mountainous area outside of town. But before they left, Cloud walked up to the three.<p>

"Hey guys, if you see Sephiroth, can you tell him I'm looking for him? He's probably still somewhere in this world."

Sora considered this. "I guess so. What's your story with him, anyway?"

"Uhh… because… light… n' stuff. Yeah. Something like that." Cloud stumbled. Sora, Donald, and Goofy were less than impressed, but did not pursue it.

* * *

><p>A while later, Sora picked up the final pages of Pooh's book in the cave just before the Great Maw.<p>

"Sora, look!" called Goofy. Sora looked and saw a silhouette with one wing in the distance. He was lowering down onto the cliff.

"That must be Sephiroth."

* * *

><p>"Pardon me sir, would you happen to be Sephiroth?" Goofy asked.<p>

"I'm definitely not his grandmother." claimed Sephiroth. "Tell me, what's Cloud up to, these days?"

Sora shrugged. "We're never really sure."

Sephiroth drew his sword and turned around. Everyone quickly jumped back.

"Drat, they always jump away. None of them ever try to play Limbo with my sword." Sephiroth complained. Sora readied his weapon. "Well isn't that interesting? Is that what they in the business call, 'a Keyblade'?"

"Maaaaybe." taunted Sora.

"Wait… what the heck even is that? Some kind of tree with a beehive or honey pot or something?"

Sephiroth had noticed that Sora's Keyblade was currently using the Sweet Memories chain, giving it a rather non-threatening design.

"Hey, I got this because I just helped my chubby amnesiac bear friend get his memory back, don't you back sass my Keyblade!"

"_Your_ Keyblade? So you must be its wielder. Though that'd be kind of obvious, since you're holding it..."

"Well kinda," Goofy started, "but not quite. It's complicated. Ya see, there's this one boy named Riku and-"

"Goofy, please." said Sora. "… We'd have to start even further back."

Sephiroth took up a stance. "You can tell me all about it after I become its new owner by defeating you."

"But… I don't wanna fight!"

"Tough." Sephiroth said. "I'm bored waiting for Cloud to find me, let me have this!"

Sora sighed. "All right, fine. But I need to do something first." Sephiroth rolled his eyes.

"Oh all right, just make it quick."

Sora handed the newly acquired storybook pages to Donald and Goofy. "Go take this to Merlin's while I deal with this guy."

Donald and Goofy looked concerned. The dog spoke up. "Do ya think you can beat 'im, Sora?"

"I think so. I mean, we took on that knight earlier, remember? And he was _crazy_! So yeah."

Donald quacked to Sora about having good luck, and the two ran off. Sora turned to face Sephiroth.

"Okay, now!"

"Show me your strength… Okay never mind, that's enough!" Sephiroth dashed forward, and Sora blocked with his Keyblade. "Ooh, not bad. If you were a second slower, you'd be a dead ma-"

"Thundaga!"

Lightning struck Sephiroth. "Rrk! A… pragmatist, are we…? Ow."

Sora shrugged. "I guess I'm still in the really fast mindset that the last guy put me in."

"But did he put you in the mindset for _this_?" Sephiroth created lava geysers all around him, forcing Sora to quickly jump back.

"Whoa, almost had me!"

"Oh you're joking me…" Sephiroth was getting exasperated. "What in the worlds were you fighting that makes me seem like such a joke?"

"Well-"

"That's enough." Sephiroth tried his dash attack again, but Sora thought fast and blocked. "Oh for the love of-"

"Thundaga!"

"GAAH! Darkness, back me up, here!" Sephiroth summoned dark orbs around Sora.

"Reflect!" Sora cast a spell as the orbs exploded. Furious, Sephiroth just ran up to Sora and started slashing, but Sora had good timing got in plenty of hits.

"You're fast, but not as fast as that knight!" taunted Sora. He slapped Sephiroth across the face with the Sleeping Lion.

"If I hear about that knight one more time-" Sephiroth started.

"Thundaga!"

"AAAAAH! So… this is the power… of the Keyblade… Especially such a weird-looking one…" Sephiroth fell onto one knee as Donald and Goofy returned.

"Hey Sora, did ya win?"

Sora turned to face the other two. "Yeah. You know, for being Cloud's nemesis and having a big sword, he really wasn't as much as I was expecting him to be."

Sephiroth looked indignant. "Okay, that's just not fair! Most people I cross swords with _didn't_ just come back from fighting some kind of psycho knight!"

Sora thought about it. "Well yeah, I guess you have a point."

Sephiroth got up. "Well now. You might've won, but Cloud's the only one who can get rid of me for good. So tell him to come here, since he's so interested in finding me."

In silence, Sora, Donald, and Goofy all decided to head back into town.

* * *

><p>Donald asked Sora what they should do.<p>

"Well, I'd like to hurry up and visit Pooh, but I'm kind of worried about what Cloud and Sephiroth might do if they don't get this feud out of their system." Sora stated. "And whatever their deal is, it can't last too long. So let's just wrap it up now."

"Good thinkin'." Goofy complimented. He looked over and saw Cloud buying an ice cream from Scrooge McDuck. "Hey Cloud, Sephiroth's on the cliff!"

Cloud looked up from his new ice cream. "Huh? Oh. Cool. Let me finish this first."

* * *

><p>Sora and his crew made it back to Sephiroth first.<p>

"Did you give him my message?" the menace asked.

"Maybe." Sora was casual and inspected his fingernails.

"… Well, did you do it or not?"

"Wouldn't you like to know?"

"Look why can't you just tell me, it's not that hard! Yes or no!" Sephiroth was having a conniption. That was when Cloud showed up.

"Having a bad day, Sephiroth? I just got over brain freeze. But after I'm done, you'll wish that brain freeze was all _you_ had!"

"Well… you have a lot of darkness!" Sephiroth was creatively bankrupt.

"Shut up!" Cloud ran up to Sephiroth and started their swordfight. The two began jumping and flying around, going at it with their swords.

"You'll never let go of your past!"

"I said shut up!"

"I bet you didn't even eat that pear that I gave to you! So inconsiderate!"

"Why won't you just shut up already?"

Sora, Donald, and Goofy were watching from the ground. Goofy called to the fighters. "Hey, not to be intruding on yer fight, but what's so dark about Cloud's past? … Fellers?"

The two fell to the ground and locked blades.

"So… about your darkne-"

"Shut up, Sephiroth!"

Tifa walked up to the scene. "Come on, Cloud!"

"Not now Tifa, Mommy and Daddy are talking!" Cloud yelled to his friend.

Tifa sighed. "… Just give the teenage girls _more_ material, why don't you… You know what, I'm helping!"

Tifa ran up to Sephiroth and started attacking, but he leaped out of the way. At that point, he started trying to stab Tifa, but Cloud attacked Sephiroth's sword with his own.

"Nuh-uh! This is between us, Wingy!"

"… Wingy? I… I'm not even going to acknowledge that." Cloud started glowing. "And wait, now _this_? What's _this_ all about? Is this your feelings for that girl? Are you suddenly radioactive, what's going on here?"

Cloud glared at Sephiroth.

"Don't you ignore me, you ***ch!" Sephiroth leaped into the air, and Cloud followed. But then they both vanished.

Sora, Donald, Goofy, and Tifa stood together, looking upward in awe.

"Well… that happened." Sora summed up the situation.

Tifa pulled a Keychain out of her pocket and gave it to Sora.

"Here, take this. It's a little something for all you did. I'm sure fighting Sephiroth wasn't easy."

Sora shrugged. "Actually, you'd be surprised. But wait, how'd you know I fought him?"

"I'm gonna go look for Cloud now. He's probably in another world."

Goofy put a hand up. "No wait, you didn't answer Sora's question."

"Bye!" Tifa ran off, leaving Sora, Donald, and Goofy alone on the cliff.

"… This was weird." said Sora. He looked down. His new Keychain was called Fenrir. "Let's just go and visit Pooh Bear one more time."

* * *

><p>Sora was back in the 100 Acre Wood one last time. The final page showed him the entrance to a hill with a starry night sky overhead. Sora entered the hill.<p>

"Hey, I know this hill!"

"Oh, bother. I'm stuck." Pooh called out.

Sora looked over and saw Pooh sitting on a hill. He had a honey pot stuck on his head.

"Silly bear…" Sora said. He went all the way up to the hill and picked Pooh Bear up.

"Oh! Sora, is that you?"

"Yep. Hold on…"

Sora started swinging Pooh around over and over until the pot came off his head and shattered on the ground.

"Why, thank you very much, Sora."

Sora shook his head. "No problem, Pooh Bear." The boy set the bear down. "what were you doing, anyway?"

Pooh sat down on a log and Sora joined him.

"Oh, I was just thinking about if there was any way for you to stay here and not leave. I mean, I wouldn't want to forget about you again."

Sora smiled. "Don't worry about it, the only reason you forgot was because the Heartless ripped out the pages of the book, and-"

"The moon is yellow like honey…" Pooh said, hungrily. Sora realized he was boring Pooh.

"Um… Anyway, I promise to visit you. Besides, we're friends. That means we're always in each other's hearts."

"Really?" asked Pooh. Sora nodded his head. Piglet walked up to the too.

"I want to g-g-get in on this action!"

"Me too! We'll see you again!" Roo shouted. Everyone else started showing up. "Isn't that right, mama?"

Kanga also thought that the moon looked like honey. She snapped out of it.

"Huh, what? Oh sure, yeah, whatever."

"Shhhee you real shhhoon, Shhhora!" said Gopher.

"You're welcome anytime." Rabbit affirmed.

"Would you like me to repeat that?" asked Owl. Tigger was confused.

"Wait, I'm confuzled, you didn't thay that in da firtht plathe!"

"Tigger's on the ball as always…" Eeyore said with a sigh. Everyone started laughing. Then, Sora got up to leave, and Pooh asked him a question.

"Are you leaving, Sora?"

"Yep… I have to go. I have even more friends that need my help. But don't worry, I'll be back someday. Goodbye!"

"Bye, Sora!" everyone else called out. "See you soon!"

**_100 ACRE WOOD_**

**To be continued.**

* * *

><p><strong>Author's Notes:<strong>

This is my favorite chapter title I've come up with in the whole entire story. Here's something else- this chapter has the most scenes in different worlds out of any chapter in the whole story.

After the first visit to Pooh's world, I was gonna have a montage of all the page collecting sequences, and then just do all the Pooh levels in one go. But I thought it'd be better to split it up, especially with how long the LS and Sephiroth bits were going on. Better to have only one last Pooh segment afterward than all of them.

So in the actual game, Merlin shows you Pooh's book some time after the first visit to Olympus. Sora promptly enters the book, but has to fight off some Heartless, and then the Heartless rip the pages out. Since the world's optional, I just had that part happen without Sora, while he was busy.

One thing to mention is that the pages are collected out of order. The Hollow Bastion/Radiant Garden page is collected before the one in the Land of Dragons. But I changed the order, so I could suit the needs of the story.

With Sephiroth, I like how I've portrayed him in this story. He's really not that serious, even when Sora fights him. That's not to say Sephiroth is a weakling, it's just that he's nothing compared to the Lingering Sentiment.

And how about that Lingering Sentiment? Given its significance to the overall story of the series, I thought it'd only be right to work him into this story, even if he was only in the Final Mix version of the game. I wanted to incorporate the Cavern of Remembrance, but I couldn't find a way. There were also the silhouettes of the Organization members from Chain of Memories, but I couldn't find a way for that, either.

So anyway, no more distractions. Time to head back to Twilight Town. It's the beginning of the end.


	24. Axel Burns His Dread

**Review Responses:**

Dracula X - Thank you. I really wanted to have those characters, and that line of Eeyore's had to be one of my favorites.

Luckenhaft - Yes, mighty convenient. And I'm pleased you liked the Lingering Spirit. That fight and the Cloud/Sephiroth thing were more fun to write than the Pooh stuff, to be honest.

**Side note:** As a special gift for the story almost being done, I've gone back to most of the early chapters and updated their format so that the story's more consistent. I also removed/changed a few jokes that I regret making, and I fixed hopefully most of my spelling/grammar mistakes.

* * *

><p><strong>Chapter 23: Axel Burns His Dread<strong>

Sora, Donald, and Goofy were aboard the Gummi Ship. They had run out of worlds. There was nowhere to find Kairi, Riku, or King Mickey. Their only solace was in knowing that they had made each world an even better place. The friends eventually decided that they needed to visit the world that they had spent the longest time away from- Twilight Town.

"That's weird." Sora was confused.

"What is it?"

"There are a bunch of Nobody ships flying around Twilight Town, blocking the easy entrance. We never had to go through a specific Gummi Route to get into Twilight Town before now…"

Donald mumbled something.

"What's that, Donald? Ya think them Nobodies are up t' something?"

Donald nodded.

"Well, we'll never know until we try!" said Sora.

* * *

><p>The three friends materialized in the train station in Twilight Town.<p>

"That Gummi Route sure was a bruiser." Sora commented. Goofy's eyes widened.

"Say, I just remembered! Ya guys remember when we were in that dark nothingness after fighting off them Heartless at Hollo- Radiant Garden?"

Sora and Donald tilted their heads. Goofy kept going.

"Remember? We found that box with the ice cream and the photo of the kids from this town? Only they were hanging out with some other kid?"

"Oh yeah… Oh! That boy was Roxas! And the Organization has me confused for Roxas! And with all the Nobodies that were on the way here… Maybe there's a connection!"

"… Good job, Sora." Goofy was not sarcastic often. But when he was, the other person deserved it.

"And that mansion… I think that's the mansion we came out of when we first woke up! Let's look there!"

* * *

><p>Sora and friends began searching all over Twilight Town for the mansion. The town was empty, but lacked its usual relaxed atmosphere. There was no proof that anyone lived in this town, even less than usual.<p>

"Gawrsh, wonder what's goin' on."

At that time, almost every version of Nobody sprung out from behind various buildings and started attacking the party.

"Waaaak!"

"An ambush? _Give me strength!_" Sora turned into Master Sora.

The yellow clad boy used Fenrir to slaughter the Nobodies, as the Sleeping Lion Keyblade floated independently, attacking on its own.

* * *

><p>Master Form Sora finally found the mansion and saw Hayner, Pence, and Olette lying on the ground in front of the gate. Shocked, he ran over and helped them all back up.<p>

"Guys, are you okay?"

Hayner nodded. "Yeah, yeah. We just thought we'd find Kairi in there or something."

"Oh it's okay guys, I'll look for Kairi."

"No way, dude! It's not all about _you_! Did you ever think that maybe we like her too?"

"… Huh. You got me. You really got me. … Well, can't argue with reason." Sora shrugged.

Donald and Goofy split back into their own beings. Olette decided to ignore this and started talking.

"So, we've heard that this mansion gets a lot of weird visitors. It's almost like it could be a natural wonder of the town or something. And with all these white monsters popping up and scaring everyone, we got suspicious."

Pence nodded. "They're a lot like these other monsters that appeared last year, but… smarter? And weirder?"

"Nobodies!" Sora, Donald, and Goofy said in unison. Hayner scoffed.

"Well forget you, too!"

"Haha! No Hayner, that's what the new monsters are called!" Sora was amused.

"We think there's another Twilight Town!" Pence shouted. "Look at that pouch!"

Sora noticed that he was suddenly holding a strange, orange pouch. Olette pulled out one of her own.

"I made this myself, so there's no way you would have one unless there's another version of me somewhere. Same goes for the crystals we all looked at."

Sora was confused. "I don't remember getting this pouch." Goofy shook his head.

"Sora, the King gave it to us when we met him at the station all that time ago!"

"No, it went like this-"

* * *

><p><em>"Quick guys, the train knows what to do!"<em>

_"Um… what?"_

_"Don't question me, I'm Mickey Mouse!" called out Mickey as he ran away._

* * *

><p>Goofy was dumbfounded. "Well… uh…"<p>

At that time, Sora heard a strange noise. Everyone looked around and saw a Dusk standing at the edge of the forest. The Dusk twitched and began to leap for Sora, but King Mickey appeared and struck the monster down.

"Look out! The Nobodies are onto us!" the mouse called.

A bunch of Dusks and Creepers then popped up from the ground in front of Sora, Donald, Goofy, Hayner, Pence, and Olette. The three travelers drew their weapons.

"Guys, find somewhere safe!" ordered Sora. The other kids nodded and ran.

With that, Sora, his friends, and Mickey began combating the Nobodies. Donald blasted all of the Dusks away with fireworks, while Goofy spun around and bashed them all with his shield. Sora and Mickey got back-to-back and spun with their Keyblades to wipe out another wave of Dusks.

After a short time, two Samurai Nobodies appeared and started slashing at Sora. Mickey took one of them out, but the other looked over at Sora.

"It's ove- Huh?"

Sora found himself frozen in place, Fenrir ready to go. Everyone else was frozen too. The Samurai readied its sword and stood still.

"_End._" the Samurai muttered. Sora thought quickly and slashed the Samurai, destroying the last Nobody.

With all of the Nobodies gone, the fighters were at ease again, and Mickey turned to Sora.

"Gosh guys, what brings ya to Twilight Town?"

Donald quacked.

"Found Kairi, you say? Well good for you. On the other hand, I've been able to find where Ansem the Wise is! So it looks like we're all doing good!"

Sora remembered something. "Oh yeah! Your Majesty, where's Riku? That guy back in Hol- Radiant Garden said that you know where Riku is! Or at least he implied it."

"Riku doesn't want you to know."

"Oh boy, he's okay!" Sora was relieved. Mickey realized what he had done.

"Aw shucks. Well I guess no harm done in revealing _that much._"

Goofy started heading into the mansion. "Well c'mon guys, I think the others went ahead into the mansion."

* * *

><p>Sora's gang and Mickey started looking all over the mansion.<p>

"Wow, that's a lot of white." Mickey commented, as he saw Namine's old room. Sora's voice called to him.

"Hey, Your Majesty! We found a secret entrance to somewhere!"

* * *

><p>Hayner, Pence, and Olette were in some kind of computer room. Upon entering, Sora noticed that a door leading deeper into the basement had been sealed.<p>

"Pence thought there'd be a snack storage down here." Hayner said.

"No I didn't! Quit making fat jokes about me! … Okay, this won't let me go on without a password."

"Why, is there a guard somewhere?" Mickey asked. He still had no idea how to work a computer.

Goofy pulled out the photo.

"Gawrsh, ya think this photo was supposed to be a clue?"

"That or the ice cream." Sora suggested. Donald's eyes lit up.

"Waak! Wakwak waaaak!"

"Good idea, Donald! Maybe that ice cream was a clue!" Olette said happily. "What kind was it?"

Sora started thinking hard. "Uh… it wasn't Sky Sugar… Liver Pepper, maybe?"

Hayner stuck his tongue out. "Bleck! No way that'd be an ice cream flavor!"

"Uh… Sea Salt! It was Sea Salt!"

"Sea Salt it is…" Pence started typing the password. "It works! Looks like there's a problem. It can only take three of you to the other Twilight Town before having to recharge for a few minutes."

"I'll stay behind." Mickey offered. "Then I'll be right there with you guys!"

"And I'll continue to be awesome." Hayner flexed. Olette put a palm to her face.

With all of their goals within reach, Sora, Donald, and Goofy stepped onto the vent and were taken to the digital Twilight Town.

* * *

><p>"Whoa… trippy…" Sora was dizzy.<p>

Donald started quacking about looking around this version of the town.

Sora shook his head. "I don't think that's a good idea. But hey, that one door's unlocked in this version! Let's check it ou- Whoa."

Sora had a strange vision. The computer that Pence was working on had been destroyed in this Twilight Town. Sora's vision was of Roxas destroying said computer.

-_Technology? Destroy! … That felt good. Today was a good day. Now what?_-

Shaking it off, the friends went into the next room. It was wide and open, and scorch marks were placed in various positions.

"Wow guys, what do you think happened in here?"

"I dunno Sora, but that portal's lookin' purty suspicious, if ya ask me." Goofy pointed to a weird portal in the corner. Axel had left it behind when he dueled Roxas, not that they would know. Thus, the three stepped in.

* * *

><p>Sora, Donald, and Goofy were in an orange and blue void that was betwixt and between worlds. They could not gawk, however, as hordes of Dusks ambushed them.<p>

"Waak!"

"Come on!" Sora complained. With Fenrir, he plowed through quite a few Dusks, and got separated from Donald and Goofy.

"Get back!" a new voice cried. Sora looked around and saw an unexpected person fighting a few other Dusks.

"Axel?" asked Sora.

"Huh?" Axel looked. "Oh, hey. … Hey, get to the other side before these jokers take your heart!"

Sora was confused yet again. "What? But Axel, I thought you wanted me to-"

"I changed my mind, now go! Saix is keeping Kairi in the castle dungeon! S-A-I-X. There's an umlaut over the I, but it's hard to include when typing his name on a keyboard. Go!"

Axel threw one of his chakrams at a predator Dusk. One was about to get him from behind, but Sora jumped in and shredded them.

"No, you need help!"

Axel rolled his eyes. "Unbelievable. What is it with you and picking up stray puppies?"

"I'm still upset that you kidnapped Kairi, but you need help, and you already helped me, so now I have to help you!"

"Heh. You sound just like him."

"Who?"

Axel turned his attention to a few Nobodies gathering into a group to attack. "Oh no you don't!" Axel started throwing fireballs.

"Back off!" Sora started attacking a swarm of Assassin Nobodies. A few of them started hiding in the 'floor'. "Hey no fair hiding there!"

* * *

><p>Donald and Goofy were preoccupied with other Nobodies much closer to the portal from Twilight Town, but they saw all of the fire from a distance.<p>

"Gawrsh Donald, ya think Sora's okay?"

Donald nodded. He then got tackled by a Dusk, which Goofy promptly thrashed.

* * *

><p>Sora and Axel had taken care of all of the Nobodies in their vicinity. Unfortunately for them, even more started appearing.<p>

"They just keep trucking!" the boy moaned. "I sure wish Donald and Goofy were over here, so I could use Drive…"

Axel scoffed. "Please! I could take them out in one shot!"

"Really? How?"

"Like this." Axel casually jumped over into the thick of the mob and caught on fire. "Here we go!"

Axel's fires grew larger until he erupted into a pure explosion, wiping out all of the Nobodies in the void. When Sora, Donald, and Goofy got their vision back, they all saw Axel lying on his back in the center.

"… Ow."

"Axel!" Sora cried. The three friends all ran up to him. "Are you okay?"

"Not really. My existence is fading. Or my non-existence. Whatever. S*** happens."

"Gawrsh, was Axel helping out, Sora?"

"Yeah…"

"SO ANYWAY," Axel brought the attention back to himself, "Kairi. Castle dungeon. Saix. He's the one with blue hair and an X scar on his face. … Oh, and I'm sorry for the stuff I did."

"Axel, why did you do all this?" Sora inquired.

"I wanted to see Roxas again. He was the only friend I had, as far as I can remember. Kinda weird. With Roxas, it was almost like I _did_ have a heart… You make me feel that way too. Well, see ya."

With his last energy, Axel made a portal on the far end of the void, and then finally disappeared into nothingness. In his wake lied the Bond of Flame Keychain. Sora picked it up. Then the three stared at the portal before them.

At once, the three of them said the same thing. "The Organization's stronghold."

"…"

"…"

"…"

"Last one in's a rotten egg!" Sora called. He bolted for the portal, and Donald and Goofy quickly wrestled to make sure they were not the last one to cross to the other side.

* * *

><p>"Man, with all those duds dropping, we're getting a lot of elbow room, am I right?" Xigbar joked.<p>

The final four remaining members of the Organization were having a meeting in the Round Room.

"Hmm…" Luxord was feeling thoughtful. "There's a gambling metaphor I'd like to use, but I can't think of it."

Xigbar rolled his one eye. "Yeesh…" He turned over to Saix. "Yo Saix, you have a history with Axel. You glad he's dead or what?"

"I'm never glad. You should know this, since we're Nob-"

"Oh _here we go_. Castle That Never Was is a 'Figurative Language-Free Zone', as usual." complained the Freeshooter.

"While we ourselves may not feel emotions, I believe that Axel did." Xemnas, the Superior, stated. Everyone looked over to him.

Xigbar chuckled. "Meaning?"

"He made contact with Sora's heart. I would not say it's out of the realm of possibility to assume that Axel had gained a heart in the very end. But no matter. Sora is coming, and we should prepare ourselves for our… guest."

* * *

><p>Sora, Donald, and Goofy emerged from the portal. They were in a dark alley. Then Mickey appeared right behind them.<p>

"Phew, finally caught up!"

Goofy turned to Mickey. "Yer the rotten egg, Your Majesty."

"Aw shucks, not again! Say, we're here!"

Mickey ran ahead, and the others followed. They saw the cityscape ahead of them, as well as the large, ivory castle.

**_THE WORLD THAT NEVER WAS_**

Sora turned to Mickey. "Axel, one of the Organization members, he told me that Kairi was in the dungeon. And he turned good, so I think we can trust him."

"Well all right then. I'll go on ahead." the King said. He ran off, leaving Sora and the others to traverse the town at their own pace.

* * *

><p>Teams of Shadows and Neoshadows flooded the streets. Sora, activated Wisdom Form and started sliding through the streets, gunning them all down. As Sora was doing this, Goofy took the slow path and just bashed Heartless as they came.<p>

Before long at all, Sora and Goofy came across Memory Skyscraper. Sora felt a weird sensation within himself. He and Donald were forcibly split back into two beings, and two Samurai Nobodies appeared, fencing Donald and Goofy off from Sora.

"Donald! Goofy! What's going on?"

A challenger in a black cloak appeared, and got Sora's attention. He pulled out the Oblivion Keyblade.

"Who are you?"

The challenger said nothing, as he and Sora were warped to Sora's heart station. The stained glass platform where Sora first took the dive into his heart.

"This place?" Sora then noticed that the opponent had not only Oblivion, but Oathkeeper as well, at the same time.

"Come on!" shouted the other fighter, revealing his young voice. He started dashing at Sora and attacking.

"Aah! Whoa! I don't even know what's going on!"

The other boy leaped back and started summoning columns of light. These columns appeared in sets and moved uniformly as they tried to ram Sora. The other boy dodged.

"Okay, that's enough!" Sora pulled out his Keyblade- currently the Bond of Flame- and whacked the other boy across the battlefield.

"That's… Him! But why? Rrr!"

The other boy started charging at Sora, Keyblades ready. Sora prepared to fight back, and found himself frozen again.

"The End!" both boys cried at once.

Sora smacked the other boy and magically took his Keyblades. They telekinetically floated alongside Sora and started attacking the other boy repeatedly. The challenger conjured another column of light under Sora. This one got the better of him and ended his control over Oathkeeper and Oblivion.

"First you steal my life, then my friend, and now my _Keyblades_? What's _wrong_ with you?"

"Ouch." Sora got back up.

"Oh come off it!" The other boy leaped up and shot lights into the air.

"What's this supposed to do?" Sora wondered. The black void sky became cloudy, much like when Sora would unlock a world's Keyhole. "Oh that's not so ba-"

"You're finished!" The other boy shot some light projectiles at Sora.

"Whoa!" Sora leaped out of the way. He saw that the other boy was open, and got him with a Bond of Flame uppercut.

"That's it!" The cloaked by started going with basic attacks again. He and Sora crossed blades.

"Who are you already?"

"I'm from the dark…"

Sora looked incredulous. "That doesn't narrow it down, I know, like, ten people who are from the dark!"

But the challenger would not stop. He started attacking Sora's Keyblade over and over again, until he eventually managed to knock it out of Sora's grip.

"… Riku, is that you?"

"I beat someone named Riku once."

"Wait, what? … Oh hey!" Sora remembered to go get his Keyblade, but the other boy beat him to it and pinned it to the ground with Oathkeeper.

"No more Keyblades for the thief!"

"What is your problem, anyway? … Oh wait, duh!" Sora slapped himself. He summoned the Bond of Flame to his hand.

"Crap, I forgot you could do tha-"

While the enemy was talking, Sora quickly slashed him with the Keyblade.

"…"

"…"

Both boys remained silent. The unknown one soon dropped his Keyblades, and they disappeared. He then faced Sora.

"… I give up. You win, Sora. I'll stop now."

"Thank… you!" Sora was out of breath. "But… who are… you?"

* * *

><p><em>A familiar blond boy woke up in front of the mansion in Twilight Town, dizzy and knowing nothing. An older man appeared before him. It was Xemnas.<em>

_"I can understand that you're very confused. First, let's give you a name. Hmm… Sora was your original name. What would be a good anagram?"_

_"…" The boy was too dizzy to speak._

_"Ah. Roxas. That will do."_

_"… Roxas…" the boy repeated._

_"Yes. That is your name, from now on."_

* * *

><p><em>Roxas was sitting alone on the clock tower in Twilight Town, until his friend Axel arrived.<em>

_"Hey Roxas."_

_"Axel? I think… I'm going back."_

_Axel nodded. "Probably." The two sat there for a while._

_"Say Roxas, you really do have a heart after all, don't you?"_

_"I… think I do. Well if anyone can find out, it's Sora." Roxas cracked a smile. "He's me, so of course he's good at everything!"_

_Axel began laughing. "We're all doomed then."_

_"Oh thanks!"_

_The two continued laughing. Axel pulled out some ice cream and offered one to Roxas. The Key of Destiny took it._

_"Hey, remember your first day?"_

_"Yeah… It was a lot like this…"_

_The two sat there for a while longer. Roxas started fading into light._

_"Well, I guess it's time. See you around, Axel."_

_Axel paused. "… See you, Roxas…"_

* * *

><p>Sora and the other boy were still in the Heart Station. The challenger started limping toward Sora.<p>

"Hey, are you okay? I didn't think I beat you that badly!" Sora said. "Can I at least know your name?"

The other boy stopped, and his hood fell down. Sora was confused.

"Hm?"

"You… you make a good other." said Roxas.

* * *

><p>Sora was back in the World That Never Was. Donald and Goofy walked up to him.<p>

"Sora? Sora, are you okay? Ya look kinda confused."

"What… happened?"

Donald explained the whole thing. Some Nobodies attacked, and Sora just spaced out. Donald was going to yell at Sora for not helping, but Sora started screaming as if he were in the middle of a fight. By the time Donald and Goofy had finished, Sora was just standing still.

"Weird… I feel… different, now." stated Sora.

"Gawrsh, I wonder if it has to do with that Keychain yer holding."

This was news to Sora. He looked down and saw that he indeed had a new Keychain. Two Become One.

"I wonder what it means…"

**To be continued.**

* * *

><p><strong>Author's Notes:<strong>

I could've gone back and edited in the bit where Mickey gave Sora the data copy of Olette's pouch… but I didn't. Also, Axel's line about stray puppies is very much a reference to his scene in Birth By Sleep.

So I included some more Final Mix goodness. For instance, the scene between Axel and Roxas on the clock tower. I made it a bit more jovial in this story, and I don't see a problem with it. Personally I wouldn't mind if my dying dream consisted of me just talking to a loved one as if nothing was different. Maybe not a dying dream, but whatever Roxas is doing.

So there you go, Axel takes his final bows and Roxas makes his grievances with Sora known to the world. I felt like that would be a good climax for the chapter. I didn't want to do the entirety of TWTNW in this chapter, or it would be too long. But if I just did the Twilight Town stuff, it would be too short. So I found a good middle point to use.

And with that, I say there are only about 2-3 chapters left, depending on how long the ending ends up being.


	25. The Key to Victory

**Review Responses:**

Luckenhaft - … Huh, that would've been funnier. Good eye. And in fact, I forgot Axel even made the portal until I was re-watching that scene. And an umlaut would be the two little dots that should be over the I in Saix's name.

Dracula X - Nah man, only 2-3 more chapters. The World That Never Was won't be that long. And if there is a third, it'd be exclusively end stuff.

* * *

><p><strong>Chapter 24: The Key to Victory<strong>

Deep in the Castle That Never Was, Kairi and Pluto were held within a special cell. They had little to do but wait. Finally, Saix walked in.

"What do you want? Why are you keeping us here?" Kairi asked.

Saix remained stoic. "Sora would like to see you. We need Sora. You do the math. I will leave you, now. Sora should be here soon."

Saix left. Kairi was now upset at the thought that they were using her to get to Sora.

"Oh no. If something happens to Sora, it'll be all my fault!"

"Psst! Hey!" someone else whispered. "Over here!"

"Huh?"

Kairi looked over and saw a girl in a white dress inside of a portal.

"Follow me!" the girl whispered.

* * *

><p>Sora, Donald, and Goofy made it to a cliff. Mickey was waiting for them.<p>

"Hey, fellas! The castle's floating over a bottomless pit, so it looks like we'll have to find a way to deal with that. And check out that moon!"

Mickey pointed to the moon over the castle. It was shaped like a heart.

"Weird. So about the castle, have you tried the Keyblade?" Sora asked.

"Um, no. Why?"

Sora shrugged. "I dunno. The Keyblade just seems to be a kind of universal answer for this kind of thing."

"Well Sora, it's more complicated than-"

"Gawrsh, what if the castle gate's just locked?" submitted Goofy.

"Goofy that's-" Mickey started, but was interrupted.

"Good idea, Goofy! Let's try it!" Sora held out the Two Become One and to Mickey's surprise, a beam came out.

"…"

A crystalline bridge formed between the party and the Castle That Never Was.

"All right, let's go!" Sora cheered as he began running across the bridge. Donald and Goofy followed, but Mickey was still dumbstruck.

"… Huh."

* * *

><p>Everyone had finally entered the castle.<p>

"All right, Organization! Let Kairi g-" Sora got muffled when King Mickey jumped up and covered his mouth.

"Shh! We're in their castle. It'll be easier if we don't alert them. They're most likely expecting us."

"But Yer Majesty, if they were expecting us, how come they didn't let us in?" Goofy asked. This stunned Mickey.

"Um… well… … Bye." Mickey ran off ahead.

* * *

><p>At the same time, Kairi, the pale girl, and Pluto were attempting to leave the castle. Kairi and the other girl were in the middle of some bizarre and extremely girly run, when someone else showed up.<p>

"Namine." Saix greeted, blocking their exit. He was flanked by two Berserker Nobodies.

"Arf, arf!" Pluto started barking.

"Have I seen that dog before? … Yes. It asked me if it was allowed to keep him… but who was that? I can't seem to remember…"

Saix seemed to be in the middle of a memory quandary, but Kairi's patience was running thin.

"Just let us go already!"

Saix's focus returned. "That won't be happening, unless you think you can force your way past me."

Kairi put up her dukes.

"You can't be serious."

"Uh…" Kairi faltered, but didn't back down.

"Just go back to your cell before this gets humiliating."

Then a familiar blade thrust out of a Berserker's stomach. Saix looked over, and saw that one of his henchmen was stabbed from behind, defeated.

"That sword… You're the imposter Organization member. I seem to recall Roxas defeating you whe-"

The newcomer was a tall figure in a black coat. He charged at Saix and pushed him against a wall.

"Good job, Riku!" Namine said. She disappeared shortly afterward.

"Wait, Riku?" questioned Kairi. She looked over and saw her supposed friend blast a Berserker with dark energy before returning his focus to Saix.

"You win… for now." Saix said as he disappeared into a dark portal.

"…" The newcomer was miffed, but then Kairi tapped him on the shoulder from behind, and Pluto barked. "Huh?"

When he turned around, Kairi removed his hood. The man was no other than Ansem, Seeker of Darkness, the Heartless of Xehanort.

* * *

><p>Sora, Donald, and Goofy were battling their way through the lower stories of the Castle That Never Was.<p>

"Take that! And this!"

"Hoyo!" Goofy grunted.

"Waaak!"

Soon, all the Nobodies in the room were gone. Sora turned to the others.

"You know, ever since I had that mental breakdown by the skyscraper, I feel this new power inside of me. I think it might be connected to Drive."

"I wonder if it has t' do with that other boy you kept talking about."

"Could be."

Sora, Donald, and Goofy continued through the castle, until they came into a large, open room. The Hall of Empty Melodies. Sora, Donald, and Goofy were on a platform over an endless abyss. There was a perfect view of the giant heart moon.

"That's enough, Sora." Saix's voice rang. Everyone looked and saw Saix standing on a balcony. "Not one more step."

"Not without my friends!"

"We just need a few more hearts from you. Our Kingdom Hearts is almost complete."

"_Your_ Kingdom Hearts? What does that mean?" Sora asked.

Saix sighed. "The moon. The freakish moon that's so hard to miss that a blind man could see. What did you think it was?"

"…Cheese…" answered Sora, ashamed.

"… I'm done with you, professionally. These last few Heartless should be enough."

Saix snapped and summoned some Armored Knights. Donald and Goofy were mad.

"Waak! Wakwak!"

"Yeah, you think yer so tough just 'cause you're way up there where we can't reach you!"

"If that helps you sleep at night." taunted Saix. Then some Shadows started appearing, surrounding the Armored Knights and the three friends.

"Uh-oh…" the three said at once.

"Sora!" Kairi called out. The three looked over and saw Kairi on a higher balcony on the other side of the room.

"Oh! Hi Kai-" a swarm of Shadows tackled Sora.

* * *

><p>"Oh… sorry…" Kairi winced, feeling foolish for distracting Sora like she did.<p>

Some Shadows started surrounding her next. Riku, still resembling Ansem, appeared and finished them with his sword. But it wasn't like Riku's Soul Eater. It was a Keyblade now, with an extra wing. Way to the Dawn.

"Kairi, take this." He spoke in the voice of Xehanort's Heartless and offered Kairi her own Keyblade, Destiny's Embrace. It was brightly colored and had flowers.

"… Thanks, Riku. It's time I did something too."

More Shadows appeared, but the two friends were ready for them.

* * *

><p>"Am I really seeing this?" Saix pondered. "Just how many Keyblade wielders are there, exactly?" Then Saix noticed something else. "Oh, and as if Sora and Riku weren't enough…"<p>

Saix noticed two people in a small nook across from him, on the other side of the room. Maleficent and Pete were there. Pete winked, clicked his tongue, and gave Saix the finger guns. Saix grimaced.

"Fool, I told you not to do that!" Maleficent shouted.

Saix vanished.

"… So Pete, I'm thinking this will be a perfect headquarters. Once we take over, we'll just look for any remaining henchmen. Then we can begin our plans!"

"But Maleficent, what about da Heartless? This world ain't in the light or the dark, they'll never listen!"

"***ch please, I'm Maleficent!"

* * *

><p>Mickey ran through another part of the castle, cutting down any Heartless or Nobody that stood in his way.<p>

"Come on, where is he? … There!"

Mickey ran up to an unconscious body surrounded by Dusks. The Dusks looked just in time to get a face full of the Kingdom Key D, eliminating all of them.

"Are you all right?" Mickey asked. This man was none other than DiZ, the man whose face was wrapped in red belts. This man is the one who lured Roxas back to Sora.

"… Yes…" DiZ answered. He began unraveling his makeshift mask. He had long, blonde hair. Mickey recognized him.

"Ansem the Wise… Why didn't you contact me before everything went this crazy?"

The real Ansem shrugged. "I thought I could handle it. After all, Xemnas used to be my greatest pupil. And I wanted a little revenge." Ansem's gaze drifted upward, towards Kingdom Hearts.

"… King Mickey, look at the device on the ground, where you found me." Mickey looked. It resembled a fancy ray gun with miniature worlds attached. "That is mine. I'm going to screw Xemnas's plans with it."

"Oh. … Say Ansem, do you know why Riku looks like the fake Ansem?"

"Darkness. You see, I had once asked Riku to retrieve Roxas. Thankfully, Roxas had already left the Organization by the time we found him. We just needed to hurry and claim him before the Organization did."

"So…"

"Riku used the darkness that Xehanort had left within him in order to best Roxas. So Riku's form was lost to the darkness, and he remained its prisoner, just because I wanted revenge."

_-Tell me your name.-_

_-Ansem.-_

_-Hahahahaha! … I'm such a monster.-_

Ansem shuddered, so Mickey took his turn to speak.

"So yeah, Riku told me some of that stuff. He said he didn't want Sora to know what he was up to."

"Hm. … Well, let's just get on with this." Ansem went to pick up his device and continued deeper into the castle, followed by Mickey.

* * *

><p>Sora was still dealing with all the Heartless.<p>

"Two's a crowd, but five's a pickle!" Sora knocked all the other Heartless off of him. "Geez…"

Sora looked up and saw Kairi fighting alongside Xehanort's Heartless on the balcony.

"Wait, what?"

"Eyes on me, sport." echoed a voice from where Saix once stood.

Sora, Donald, and Goofy all turned around and noticed Xigbar, just as the he began unloading hundreds of arrows unto the horde of Heartless.

When the attack was over, Xigbar lowered his guns. "So… you ever get that Happy Meal I wanted?"

Sora glared at Xigbar.

"Guess not. Wow Sora, you just love screwing the Organization over, don't you? But you're kind of a chump compared to those others."

Goofy was confused. "What others?"

Xigbar smirked. "Well _duh!_ The other Keyblade wielders!"

This caught the party by surprise.

"There were… more?" asked Sora.

Xigbar smiled again. "Yeah, and they were all manlier than you, even the girl! Heck, one of them is the reason my face looks like this!"

Donald asked about their identities, but Xigbar waved a finger.

"Ah-ah-ah! You'll just have to wait until next time. 'Cept there won't be a next time. Your game is over."

Xigbar leapt down to the platform the party was standing on. He had an evil grin. Before Sora could try anything, Xigbar teleported onto a small balcony.

"I can see yoooou!" he taunted, turning his guns into one rifle and taking aim.

Xigbar started taking shots at Sora, but the boy was quick and warp-attacked each projectile, sending them back to Xigbar.

"Aaaugh! Clever little sneak!"

Xigbar tried a more direct approach and went back down to the battlefield, his guns were in two again. He used his power over space to warp the shape of the arena.

"Like what I've done with the place? Ha!" Xigbar started shooting again.

"Run, fellers!" Goofy shouted. The three ran all over the arena, trying to avoid Xigbar's attacks. Noticing that the Nobody had two guns and that there were three of them, Donald hid from Xigbar's view and hit Xigbar with Thundaga.

"Aaah! You little-" as he was distracted, Sora ran up and swung Two Become One clear across Xigbar's scarred cheek. "Not on my bad one!"

"Hoyo!" Goofy threw his shield like a discus, and hit Xigbar right in the gut.

Xigbar teleported and changed the arena's shape again. "New backdrop!"

The Freeshooter teleported again, and resumed shooting. But this time, he started hiding his hands in portals which would let out in other places around the arena.

"Ha!" Sora attacked one of Xigbar's hands sticking out of a portal.

Xigbar felt the pain from across the room. "Rrr! Take this!" Xigbar retracted his hands and shot a special dart that would bounce all over the place.

"Hmm… Maybe I can send it back at him!" Sora declared. He ran up to the bullet, but it warped him instead.

"Whoa, what?" Sora was confused, and found himself floating in a corner of the room, with the special dart coming at him. "No!"

Sora quickly knocked it towards Xigbar, hitting him. Since both Sora and Xigbar made contact with the dart, they were warped to different positions around the room. Sora was still confused.

"What the- Aaah!" The dart was headed for him again. Sora repeated what he did before, and hit Xigbar, warping them both.

"Sora! Cut it ou- OOH!" Xigbar got hit again, and warped. This time, as Sora knocked the dart towards Xigbar, the Freeshooter teleported out of the way, and Sora warped to the ground. "Haha! You're putting me to sleep, bucko!"

Xigbar attempted to take another shot, but his guns were empty.

"Donald, Goofy, now's our chance!"

"Crap."

"Trinity!" the friends yelled at once. Sora, Donald, and Goofy attacked Xigbar in unison, followed by blasting him with a lot of orbs.

"Ahhh!"

"And Ultima!" the party chanted. They held their weapons up and blasted Xigbar with one final spell.

"Oof! Rrrr… Reload!" Xigbar's guns automatically filled up again, and he started warping again. "Heads up!" The shooting continued.

Donald quacked incredulously as he dodged the darts.

"Yeah, I thought that woulda finished him for sure!" Goofy stated.

Sora pondered this. "Wait, I'll see if I can use my new Drive power. _Light!_"

Sora transformed… but to his chagrin, he was Anti Form Sora instead.

"Arooooo!" he howled.

"The heck is that?" Xigbar asked. "Oh well. Pow!" He shot another special dart, but Sora had no means of countering it in this feral form. He was damaged and warped to another part of the room.

"Aroooo!"

"Oh, this'll be amazing. Here's something saved just for you!"

Xigbar's ability reduced the arena into a small square. Anti Sora was trapped, and Xigbar had him at his mercy, flying around the stage and shooting him.

"Hahaha! It's like shooting Roxas in a barrel! Now… let's see how you dance!"

Xigbar warped to the center and summoned a nonstop rain of darts, all homed in on Sora. The boy rapidly ran around the platform, one step ahead of the deadly rain.

"You gotta be kiddin' me!" Xigbar was frustrated, and he ran out of arrows. Sora leaped up to Xigbar and started clawing and swiping at him, relentlessly.

"Rrrr! Arrrrrr!"

"Aaah! Gah! Stop! Cut it- Aaah! Grr! Sto- Oooh! Aah!" Xigbar could not even fight back.

Sora finished with a double cross-swing that sent Xigbar flying into a wall before reverting to his normal state. The platform followed suit and spread out to normal size.

"You… are just a-" Xigbar tried taunting him, but Sora thought fast.

"Donald!"

Donald nodded and raised his stave alongside Sora and his weapon. The duo sent a small cloud of fireworks directly at Xigbar.

"This'll hurt." Xigbar grimaced.

The explosion could be heard throughout the castle, as it shook the room.

"AAAAAAHHHHHH!"

Xigbar landed on the ground in front of Sora, Donald, and Goofy. He was beginning to fade, much like Demyx, Xaldin, and Axel before him.

"Wait, before you disappear, why did you call me Roxas?"

Xigbar smirked. "Heh-heh. I'm afraid that's just going to be the Organization's little secret… Heh-heh-heh…"

Xigbar began to fade. Before the last of his shadows were gone, Donald quickly grabbed Sora's hand and directed his attention to the balcony his friends were on.

"Oh yeah, Kairi and… the other person. Who was that?"

* * *

><p>Mickey and Ansem the Wise were watching everyone from even higher up.<p>

"Wow, Sora and Donald really took care of that guy. But… Kairi and Riku… You think they need our help?"

Ansem shook his head. "Riku has no further need for me, nor I for him. He has Sora now, and I'm ready to atone. Come on, Mickey."

"I just hope Riku can get back to normal."

* * *

><p>Xemnas stood atop the Altar of Naught at the top of the castle, basking in the glow of Kingdom Hearts. Saix appeared behind him.<p>

"Oh… Oh, oh. This is delicious." Xemnas said.

"I guess you won't be needing that Keyblade wielder. You want me to get rid of him?"

Xemnas did not avert his gaze from Kingdom Hearts. "Don't be hasty. Not until we have more Emblem Heartless pummeled into dust. Which should be any moment, now."

A few hearts start flying into Kingdom Hearts.

"Yes… yes…"

Saix would be disturbed, if he had a heart. "So may I drop the act and release my full force?"

Xemnas turned to him and nodded. "_Indeeeeeed._"

* * *

><p>"Kairi! Kairi Kairi Kairi!" Sora shouted. He, Donald, and Goofy had finally caught up to her. "There you are! You're safe, you're here, you're-<p>

"Sora! It's been so long! You and Riku never came home!" Kairi ran up to Sora and gave him an embrace.

Goofy and Donald stood awkwardly, and Sora returned the hug. They tried to look at anything but this, but everything else was gray. Then Sora noticed something.

"… Is that Ansem? The fake Ansem that we beat?"

Kairi let Sora go, and the boy walked up to Riku.

"Ansem? Did you help Kairi? I mean, I'm thankful, but why? I thought you hated us. And that you were dead."

"Uh… well, you see…" Riku was starting to make something up, but Kairi shook her head.

"Riku, be honest." She grabbed Riku's hand and Sora's hand, and put the two of them together.

"Riku? Kairi that's not Riku. I know you haven't seen him in a while, but-"

"Sora, close your eyes." she said.

Sora did as he was told. He could recognize Riku's essence. This was his best friend, who lived with him on the islands, played with him, fell into darkness, but shortly redeemed himself. Sora opened his eyes, shocked.

"Riku! Riku's here!" Sora fell to his knees, still holding Riku's hand. The boy was practically crying at this point. "Riku's here!"

"… Sora, you're creeping me out." Riku said, using his real voice for once.

"I looked everywhere, Riku!" A tear went down his cheek.

**_~And on that day, a million fan fictions were written. You know the kind.~_**

Sora turned to Donald and Goofy. "Guys, Riku's here!"

"Pics or it didn't happen." Goofy dismissed.

Sora's eyes widened. "Oh, that reminds me!" The boy stood up. "Riku, Santa's real! I met him!"

"Pics or it didn't happen." Riku waved a finger, jokingly.

Everyone laughed, and Sora stood back up.

"Wait, Riku, why'd you turn into Xehanort's Heartless?"

"I needed to use the power of darkness to help bring you back. But I also need it to stop the Organization."

Kairi thought about this for a moment. "So once we're all done, you can change back?"

Riku shrugged. "I can't say. That reminds me, Sora, this is for you."

He gave Sora the Oblivion Keychain.

"Wait, I didn't have this one already? Weird." Sora was confused.

"Well I actually know about that Keyblade you were using on the Organization member earlier. It's hard to use, so I thought this might help."

"What's wrong with this one?"

"If you try to Drive anything but your strongest form, you'll only turn into Anti Form or the final form. But since you haven't unlocked it yet, it defaulted to Anti."

Goofy tilted his head. "Gawrsh Riku, when'd ya learn so much about this?"

"Eh, kind of picked it up from Ansem. The wise Ansem, that is."

"Well I have a feeling that I've got this figured out. Now come on, let's go stop the Organization!"

"Yeah!" Donald and Goofy cheered.

* * *

><p>Ansem set up his device on a balcony near the top of the castle. Mickey watched as his friend's ray gun emitted a beam of data directly at Kingdom Hearts. Ansem turned to Mickey, giving an explanation.<p>

"So, this thing should encode Kingdom Hearts as data, and then Xemnas can't get his hands on it."

"… Oh."

* * *

><p>Everyone carried on until they reached the Proof of Existence. Twelve tiles were littered about, but Tiles 7, 10, and 13 were blue while the rest were red. The door at the opposite end of the room was blocked by a strange bubble.<p>

"Now what do we do?" Goofy wondered. Riku decided to explain.

"Ansem said they might try something like this. This barrier's keeping us from getting to Xemnas. It's held together by one of the remaining Organization members hiding in these portals."

Donald asked how Mickey and Ansem got through without fighting the Nobodies. Riku shrugged.

"Ansem's always got something up his sleeve."

"Cool." Sora casually walked into the nearest one. Everyone else simply followed. They were all out in an open balcony.

"It doesn't look like anyone's here." Kairi commented.

"Think again." called another voice. "Cards!"

Giant, grey cards surrounded a confused Riku, Kairi, Donald, and Goofy and made them disappear. When all the cards scattered, Luxord stood in their place.

Sora gasped. "Hey! … Wait, I don't remember you."

Luxord was shocked. "You… you don't? We met in Port Royal. I had that one Heartless and my Gamblers curse Jack Sparrow. I also sunk the _Interceptor_."

Sora shrugged. "Sorry, I got nothing."

Luxord's eyes narrowed. "Well, I'm sure I'll forget about you just as quickly after our little game."

"A game?"

"Yes. Whoever runs out of time is the loser." Luxord snapped his fingers. "And just to make things interesting, the loser will disappear."

Sora readied the Two Become One, as Luxord snapped his fingers.

_Sora - 300 seconds_  
><em>Luxord - 300 seconds<em>

"We have that long to defeat one another. Taking damage depletes the time even faster. Now… let the game begin." Luxord said. "Ha!"

Sora was turned into a die.

"…"

Sora rolled himself around, as Luxord started manipulating cards to whip or shoot at the hero. Not wanting to waste time, Sora rolled himself into Luxord and hit him right in the arm.

"Ow!"

Sora was able to turn back to normal, and started attacking Luxord some more.

"Oh! Ow! Cards!" Some cards dropped down and slashed Sora, taking some of his health and his time, and Luxord got another shot in.

"Gather!" Sora used Magnaga on Luxord, drawing in both the opponent and all of his cards. Sora got in quite a number of attacks on the vulnerable Nobody.

"Ha! Take that! And one of these! And some of those!"

Luxord eventually managed to get away, and turned himself into a card. The card then multiplied itself. "Be one with your force."

Instead of guessing which card held Luxord, Sora attacked them at once.

"Firaga!"

"Ow! ****-head! It's game time!" Luxord reappeared and showed off a bunch of cards, each with an X. A circle replaced one on another card, but then switched places with another X.

Sora watched quickly, and attacked the circle card, leaving Luxord vulnerable.

"It's over!" The battle continued like this for a while.

_Sora - 182 seconds_  
><em>Luxord - 34 seconds<em>

"All right, I've almost won!" Sora quickly dodged a stream of cards. Then he dismissed his Keyblade.

"What- what are you doing?"

"Well since it's timed, and I already have an advantage, I just gotta stall!"

"No you- … Huh. I… Wow. Cheap, but clever."

_Sora - 157 seconds_  
><em>Luxord - 9 seconds<em>

Luxord bowed for his inevitable defeat. "You play the game quite well."

Three seconds later, Luxord disappeared into darkness, just as Xigbar did. There was a flash of light, and all of Sora's friends returned.

"Where did he take you to?" Sora inquired.

"The broom closet." answered everyone at once.

* * *

><p>Everyone had returned to Proof of Existence and noticed that the barrier remained. Other than Xemnas, that meant that Saix, the only other remaining Nobody, was the target.<p>

* * *

><p>The group walked into an empty room as Saix was gazing out the window at Kingdom Hearts.<p>

"Kingdom Hearts… Kingdom Hearts… Kingd- Oh. It's you. If I had emotions, I would still be furious for what you've done to me, Roxas."

"For the last time, I'm not Roxas!" Sora was getting frustrated.

"That's more than he said last time. But let's keep this short and sweet again."

Saix summoned a claymore and held it in reverse. He swung it, creating a gale of wind. Riku and Kairi were knocked out of the room, leaving Sora, Donald, and Goofy alone with the Luna Diviner.

"Do you feel it? The moon's power? _Moon, shine down._"

Saix's weapon enhanced itself and he was moving quickly.

"BE GOOOOONE!" the Nobody practically roared. With one mighty swing, his claymore made a crater in the center of the room, which Sora's group barely dodged. "MOVE ASIDE!"

"Be careful, fellers!"

Saix kept swinging over and over, with plenty of shockwaves to accompany each attack. Eventually, Saix tried to throw a claymore at Sora, but he missed and it got embedded into the wall. Saix pulled out another claymore.

"Where'd he get the other one from?" Sora asked, but Saix was still on the move.

"ALL SHALL BE LOST TO YOU!"

Donald fired a few spells at Saix, which caught his attention. Sora noticed the other claymore still in the wall.

"I remember that there were Nobodies who used these in Twilight Town, and that I could use these to beat them up. I bet it works on _him_ too!"

Sora ran over to retrieve the claymore, and ran over to Saix.

"I want to see you die fighting!" he told Donald and Goofy, making them gulp.

"Hey, turn around!" called Sora. Saix looked and got a face full of one of his own claymores. Saix was thrown for a loop, and Sora swung at him a few more times. For the final one, Sora swung it like a baseball bat and knocked Saix into a wall. "It's over!"

"Ugh…"

"Great job, Sora!" Goofy congratulated. "You know what I think? That moon's making him angry!"

"Well aren't you observant?" retorted Saix, somewhat calmer. Everyone looked and saw him recovering from that last attack. "But there's no exit from this battle. _Moon, shine down!_"

"No, that's enough! _Give me strength!_" Sora activated Drive before Saix could absorb the moon's power. Goofy gasped.

"But Sora, you could-"

Donald and Goofy disappeared. When Sora was done, his clothing was white, with black decorations. Two Become One and Bond of Flame both floated independently of Sora.

**Sora - Final Form**

"Him… I sense _his_ presence now…" Saix commented. "But that won't make a difference!"

Wordlessly, Sora used telekinesis to swing both Keyblades at Saix.

"Aah! Fool, do you think- Aauck!" Sora flew over to Saix and started telekinetically swinging his Keyblades even faster, before casting a spell.

"Gather!" Final Sora cast Magnaga, gathering Saix and his claymores together. "Thundaga!"

"AAAAAAAHHH!" Saix was struck by lightning, dead-on. "My heart… if I had a heart…"

Saix fell onto the ruined floor, landing on his back. He pathetically looked over at the window.

"Kingdom… Hearts… where did… I go wrong?" He closed his eyes and faded into darkness.

Riku and Kairi came back, and Sora forcibly returned to normal, releasing Donald and Goofy. Sora turned to Riku.

"Why are they all calling me Roxas?" the boy wondered. Riku was surprised.

"You mean you didn't figure it out? Well I guess I'm not that surprised…" Riku started. "Well Sora, Roxas is your Nobody."

Sora's eyes widened, while Donald, Goofy, and Kairi all got hit with a realization and nodded their heads.

Kairi spoke first. "Oh yeah, that makes sense…"

"Wakwakwak."

"I forgot about that too, Donald." Goofy said.

"But wait, did I turn into a Heartless? … Oh wait, I remember. When we went to Hollow Bastion and I saved Kairi's heart…"

Riku nodded. "Xemnas found Roxas and took him under his wing. Since Roxas was your Nobody, he could use the Keyblade, and furthered Xemnas's plans. But then Roxas left them, and I lost to him in a fight."

"Why did you fight Roxas?" Sora questioned.

"I thought it would wake you up. But I lost, so I gave in to the darkness willingly, and used Ansem's power to take him back to the real Ansem."

* * *

><p><em>Riku, still in his original form, was in a coat just like the Organization's coats, and wore black blindfold. He was fighting Roxas in the Dark City, but neither of them were winning.<em>

_"Come on, Sora, give it up!" taunted Riku._

_"No way, I'm winning! … Wait, did I just-"_

_"Ha! That was undeniable proof that you're that lamer."_

_"Shut up!" Roxas fumed. He leapt over to Riku and slashed him with Oathkeeper and Oblivion._

_"Ow! Okay that's it, I didn't want to do this, but now I guess I have to! Even if it changes me for good, I'm waking Sora up again!"_

_Riku took off his blindfold and changed into Xehanort's Heartless, in the same robe._

_"Come… Guardian." Riku summoned Ansem's Guardian and sent it after Roxas._

**Name: Guardian**  
><strong>Relation to Ansem: Eh, not really sure.<strong>

_Guardian attacked Roxas, defeating him once and for all. Riku then dismissed him._

_"All right, DiZ. I got him. Come on out."_

* * *

><p>"But in the end, I think the reason he left the Organization was to meet you, Sora." Riku shook his head. "But that's enough for now, though. Nothing's stopping us from reaching Xemnas. Let's go."<p>

Riku, Kairi, Goofy, and Donald walked out of the room, but Sora stayed behind for a minute, and looked out the window.

"Roxas…"

* * *

><p>On the upper pathway of the castle, Ansem was still trying to encode Kingdom Hearts, but the stream leading into the gun was acting oddly.<p>

"Well, I do believe this thing's going to malfunction. I guess you really can't encode hearts. I've underestimated the power of the heart yet again."

"Aw don't worry, Ansem. I'm sure they'll stop Xemnas!"

Ansem nodded. "Yes. But I'm still a fool. I had hearts all wrong. Data, worlds, and maybe even those like Roxas. Hearts in and of themselves are strong, and can be found everywhere. I should have accepted this sooner."

The gun began to short-circuit.

"Um, Ansem?" the king was getting nervous.

"Mickey, you should run while you can. With the limitless power of the heart, let alone the many hearts already captured in here, _anything_ could happen when it explodes."

Sora and everyone else walked in.

"Your Majesty! … And an old guy?" Sora asked. Riku leaned over to whisper to Sora.

"That's Ansem."

"Oh."

Ansem acknowledged Sora. "Sora, the rest falls on you now. And please, tell Roxas I'm sorry. I'm sorry for everything. But I'm especially sorry for talking to him as if he were a puppy, right before he rejoined with you. That part was just uncalled for."

Sora tried his hardest to understand. "Um… okay… I guess. What's going on?"

Xemnas appeared.

"I had noticed that someone was trying to sabotage Kingdom Hearts. And who do I find but the small king his two pawns, the boy lost to darkness, Sora, his friend, and the man who started it all: Ansem the Wise."

"Xehanort. Arrogant as usual, I see…" Ansem remarked.

"Really, Ansem, all I had done was merely in the name of continuing _your_ research. Maybe things would have happened differently, if you had never even bothered."

Ansem never looked away from Kingdom Hearts and his device.

"You're right. All of this? This chaos, this darkness and madness? My bad. _I_ started it, so _I'm_ ending it. Right here, right now. So suck on that, Xehanort."

"…" Xemnas was not amused.

"Goodbye, everyone." Ansem got close to his machine, practically hugging it, in some sort of attempt to minimize the area of effect.

"Ansem, no!" shouted Mickey. Riku helped push everyone back, and Xemnas teleported.

In that instance, the encoding device exploded, raining light on the whole balcony. A beam flew out and struck Kingdom Hearts, breaking open a hole, and allowing hearts to rain down.

* * *

><p>Down in the streets of the Dark City, the Dusks rejoiced and rejoined with their missing hearts.<p>

As the hearts began to coat the city, the Heartless were attracted, and began to claw their way out from the depths beneath the Castle That Never Was.

* * *

><p>Sora, Donald, Goofy, Kairi, Riku, and Mickey all regained consciousness on the balcony. But Sora was the first to notice that Riku looked like his old self again- his long, purple-silver hair, still taller than his friends, and with a black coat and blindfold.<p>

"Riku, you're normal!" Kairi declared.

"Wow Riku, you got kinda hot since we last saw you, ahyuck!" Goofy's eyes went wide. "… Did I say that out loud?"

"But… how?" Riku asked. "How am I normal again?"

Mickey shrugged. "I guess all that light cleaned you out or something. Ansem told me that anything could happen. So…"

"Oh well." Riku was not complaining. He decided to remove his blindfold. "I don't need to fool myself with this any longer."

Sora shook his head. "Riku, why didn't you want any of us to help you out? We're all friends."

"Heh. Same old Sora."

"… No seriously, why not?"

Riku sighed. "Well it's not important now. Right now we're all together, and we have a path taking us straight to Xemnas, so we should hurry."

Donald started quacking and pointed something out. They could barely make out some kind of figure floating before the ruined Kingdom Hearts.

Sora mumbled to himself. "Oh I don't like the look of that."

Everyone then heard a noise, and went to see what was going on below. Many Heartless were starting to climb the castle.

"I don't like the look of that either…"

Riku removed his cloak, showing off a new outfit of his own.

**Name: Riku**  
><strong>Rating: Really Awesome<strong>

"I'm not entirely sure where I got these clothes."

Sora looked around to everyone. "Well c'mon guys, Xemnas is waiting for us. Let's go!"

With that, Sora and all his friends began the final part of their siege on Organization XIII.

**To be continued.**

* * *

><p><strong>Author's Notes:<strong>

All right, we're nearly there. I wanted to get in one more fight, but I thought I was pushing this chapter as it was. But the next chapter should be the last, unless I want to go for some special, epilogue-type stuff.

I had fun with the boss fights, but mostly Xigbar's. Also it just feels good to have a character say "suck it/suck on that" to Xehanort.

Xemnas and Saix re-enacted the "this is delicious" scene from the _Street Fighter_ cartoon. I also altered Luxord's death a little bit, and I gave him some of Travis Touchdown's quotes from _No More Heroes_. I like Travis, and he has the same actor as Luxord.

Saix having some memories about Pluto is a reference to the _Days_ manga, wherein Xion asked Saix if she could keep Pluto. Oddly, he said yes. Not that Pluto stuck around, but still.

The finale _will_ be soon. I don't want to make any promises on what day, but I do want to finally finish this story.


	26. Kingdom Hearts II

**Review Responses:**

Dracula X - Oh yes, I had meant to comment on the news of _Kingdom Hearts III_, but I guess I forgot. Judging from the one trailer, it looks pretty good already. And I'm happy that you enjoyed that chapter, there was a lot for me to work with.

Luckenhaft - I'm going to guess you liked the chapter, since you're taking the time to react to everything instead of tell me what you thought. Or at least I hope so, otherwise this would be awkward.

Also, FINAL CHAPTER, yeah!

* * *

><p><strong>Chapter 25: Kingdom Hearts II<strong>

Sora and Riku led an assault on the final room of the Castle That Never Was. On the crystalline bridges, Sorcerer Nobodies appeared.

"…"

"Riku, let's take care of these guys!" Sora called.

"Way ahead of you."

The boys jumped up and started attacking the Sorcerers with their swords before backing off, and shooting with strange magic.

"You're gonna lose it all!" Riku taunted. Then he and Sora spun around with weird energy swords.

Lastly, Way to the Dawn and Two Become One each flew away from the boys and trapped the Sorcerers in a large beam, killing them. Sora and Riku bumped their fists together.

_~Fatality- Bromance~_

Donald, Goofy, Mickey, and Kairi caught up.

"Gosh fellas, when you said to hurry, you weren't kidding!" Mickey commented.

The gang hurried to the other end of the room, but Kairi noticed something.

"Uh, guys? We're not alone."

Everyone else looked and noticed that legions of Shadow Heartless were slowly making their way into the room, via any means necessary.

Riku sighed. "Not now, when we're this close to Xemnas…"

"Hey I took a thousand of them once, this'll be fine." Sora reassured. Donald and Goofy nodded in agreement, though Goofy had more to say.

"Yeah and I killed two-thousand while Donald did three, ahyuck! This'll be cake!"

"_Fools! This is no time for fighting these lowlife goons! You must destroy Xemnas!_" a familiar voice commanded. Suddenly, Maleficent and Pete appeared in a blaze of green fire.

Donald quacked.

"That's an easy one, lowly mage. I'm here to help." Maleficent explained. "I can't be the ultimate evil if that lousy Xemnas gets his way! He's cramping my style! And where I go, Pete goes, so that's why he's here too."

Pete nodded, halfheartedly. "Yeah, but kinda wanna run! I mean look at dis, I can't take on that many Heartless! I'm not the man I was back in dem black n' white days!"

Mickey stepped up to Pete. "Are you sure about that? Captain Pete?"

"… Oh all right! You clobber dat Xemnas dork once fer me! But don't think I forgot what yer wife did t' me!"

"Pete, you were about to attack her over _ice cream._" Mickey tried to reason, but gave up. "Oh, forget it. We won't forget your help-"

"Just go, before I change my mind!" ordered the evil fairy. Sora, Mickey, and all their friends hurried into the next room.

"Come one, come all! Who wants a piece of ol' Pete?" bellowed the fat cat.

"Hahahaha! They're already dead…"

Pete was confused. "Huh? No they're not, they're still comin'." Maleficent sighed in frustration.

"No you buffoon, I was saying that they were as good as dead! You see… Forget it, just fight them already!"

* * *

><p>Xemnas was once again fawning over the newly ruined Kingdom Hearts atop the Altar of Naught.<p>

"Kingdom Hearts… we can start over, but you'll have to be patient. I know. It hurts me too. Or, it would if I had feelings… Though I have no interest in a heart, but rather-" Xemnas heard footsteps. "They arrive."

Sora, Donald, Goofy, Riku, Mickey, and Kairi arrived.

"Greetings, my guests. Would you be ever so kind as to gather more hearts for me?"

"No!" everyone answered at once.

"… Are you sure?"

"Yes!" they said in unison again.

Xemnas raised his arms in an attempt to be dramatic. "Why do you hate the darkness? What did it ever do to you?"

Riku summoned Way to the Dawn. "Because jerks like Xehanort have a creepy affection for it. Technically you're right, darkness isn't evil. But evil people use it a lot."

Xemnas was stunned. "Oh… uh… Well then how come you don't like the Organization? We never had any light or darkness, what was so wrong with what we were doing?"

"Because you're a bunch of jerks just like Xehanort, and keep messing with the worlds." Riku answered.

Xemnas pointed to Riku. "You just answered, let someone else have a chance."

"Gawrsh, I was kinda thinkin' the same thing." Goofy admitted. Everyone else started nodding and mumbling the same things. Riku only had a smug grin for Xemnas.

"Well what do you _want_ from me, what other choice did my Organization XIII have? Do you know how that makes me feel inside?"

Sora summoned Two Become One. "Trick question! You don't feel anything at all!"

Xemnas smirked, but it was a hollow gesture. "You are more perceptive than your appearance leads one to believe, Sora."

"Thanks! … I think." Sora had to take a minute to figure out what Xemnas just said.

Xemnas raised his hands, and suddenly he and Sora were gone.

* * *

><p>Sora noticed that he and Xemnas were alone in a pocket dimension. The entire place was a bizarre version of Memory Skyscraper.<p>

"What the- What is this place? Where are my friends?" Sora demanded to know.

"We are fighting. Did you not expect a fight?"

"Well… I did, but not like this. I thought I'd have my friends. They're my power, after all!"

"If I can have no friends, neither will you." Xemnas teleported to the top of the skyscraper. Ethereal Blades emerged from his hands as he glared down at Sora.

"Wow, you're really high up… But I'm not quitting!" Sora announced. He quickly started jumping onto the building and running up. "Whoa, how am I doing this?"

Wordlessly, Xemnas leaped off the roof and dived for Sora. The boy saw this coming and attacked Xemnas first. Sora used a flurry of attacks that ended with the Organization Superior getting knocked into the side of the building.

"OOF!"

"So yeah… take that." said Sora as he fell to the ground.

"So… it wasn't a fallacy…"

Sora tilted his head. "What wasn't? … Xemnas? Hello?"

* * *

><p>Sora and Xemnas found themselves back atop the Altar of Naught.<p>

"Uh… What just happened? Is Xemnas gone now?" Sora asked. Donald was freaking out. "I guess not."

"_KINGDOM HEARTS! Fill me… with a heart._" Xemnas's voice boomed, giving a speech similar to his counterpart's. Everyone looked up and found him floating before Kingdom Hearts like before.

"Hey Donald, wanna hit him with a fireball or something?" Kairi asked. "… Donald?"

"_Kingdom Hearts, we can start over, just the two of us. Together, we complete each other. You are the yin to my yang. Let us reduce our enemies to nothing._"

Mickey summoned the Kingdom Key D and pointed it at Xemnas. "Hey, cut it out!"

"_Rage will awaken!_"

Sora took a stance. "Don't make me beat you up a again!"

"_So let us join, o Kingdom Hearts._"

Donald quacked at Xemnas.

"_Ansem was a fool to turn away from you. Let us go forth, together!_"

Xemnas disappeared in a flash of light. When everyone's vision returned, he was gone.

"Aw shucks. Now what?" questioned Goofy. His answer was another flash of light. "Heavens t' Betsy!"

A closed door appeared at the end of a new bridge of light, extending off the top of the altar.

"This doorway was given to us by the worlds." Mickey stated.

Riku turned to him. "How do you figure?"

"I dunno. Just seems right. So once we go through there, there's no turning back. Is everyone ready?"

Sora, Donald, and Goofy mumbled about possible side quests they could do.

"Okay great, last one into Kingdom Hearts is a rotten egg!" Mickey taunted, running up to the door. Everyone else hurried after him.

Two Become One, Way to the Dawn, and the Kingdom Key D were all pointed at the door. It opened, and the six were allowed inside.

* * *

><p>The gang stepped into a strange, new world. They were in a new city, just like the one outside the castle. In the distance was a mechanical dragon-castle. Goofy turned to Kairi.<p>

"Kairi, yer the rotten egg."

"_Welcome to the beginning of the end._" Xemnas's voice echoed across the realm. "_But this is only a beginning for me._"

Xemnas raised an arm, and a skyscraper fell. Everyone ran out of the way, with Mickey and Kairi in the back, past the door. The skyscraper hit the door, closing it. Sora, Riku, Donald, and Goofy were locked in with Xemnas.

"No way!" Riku was confounded. Sora shook his head.

"Don't worry, he's not so tough! Let's go!"

Sora, Donald, Goofy, and Riku began making their way towards Xemnas. Before long, the enemy summoned a wall of skyscrapers. Sora readied his Keyblade. He teleported to the other side of it, and the building got sliced into pieces.

"Whoa, not bad!" complimented Riku.

"I'll say!" Goofy was also impressed, as was Donald.

The party continued further into the World of Nothing, and reached the edge. A building was sent flying at the party.

"Okay, you'll have to trust me on this. _Let's go!_" Sora absorbed everyone, and with the extra power, became Final Sora.

Sora leapt up towards the building and slashed it, then jumped from fragment to fragment until he reached the metal grating in front of the warship's left cylinder.

"… Now what?" Sora wondered aloud.

Then, mechanical Bomb Bell Nobodies showed up, doing nothing in particular. Sora looked at them, then at the engine core. Then he looked back to the Bomb Bells, then back to the engine core. "Aha! Gather!"

Sora cast Magnega and gathered all the Bomb Bells together. With telekinesis, Two Become One and Bond of Flame knocked every Nobody into the cylinder's core.

"DAMAGE TO THE LEFT CYLINDER. SELF DESTRUCT IN TEN SECONDS. NINE. EIGHT."

"Uh oh." Sora jumped and glided to a bar much higher up than the platform, and leapt toward the other cylinder.

"Tick-tock."

"Tick-tock."

"Tick-tock."

"All right. Second verse, same as the first!" Sora cast Magnaga again and knocked all the Bomb Bells into the right cylinder.

He jumped up to the high bar and looked towards the main structure. "Xemnas…"

* * *

><p>Final Sora dropped into a lobby with a gate bearing the Nobody symbol. A seal formed on the gate as Nobodies of all shapes and sizes materialized.<p>

"Here we go!" Sora glided across the room, his floating Keyblades wiping out the Dusks, Assassins, and Creepers.

Two Sniper Nobodies appeared and prepared to take shots, but Sora's Keyblades independently spun and deflected them back at the Snipers. "The gate's still not open yet?"

A Berserker, some Gamblers, and Dancers arrived, but Final Sora flew over to the Berserker and destroyed it. He took the left over claymore and bashed the Gamblers and Dancers to oblivion. A Dragoon appeared, so Sora threw the claymore at it, weakening the Dragoon. He then flew over to it.

"Learn! Learn, learn, learn! Now Jump!" Sora jumped and used the diving thrust that he once used on Xaldin. With the Dragoon gone, three Sorcerers appeared. Using his spare Jump commands left over, he turned to the Sorcerer Nobodies and slaughtered them.

Sora felt weird. "Uh-oh. Power's wearing out… Just need a little more time!" Sora flew over to the gate, and the seal was removed. He started attacking relentlessly, and a hole was created. "Yes!"

Donald, Goofy, and Riku all re-emerged.

"That was… weird." commented Riku. Then he noticed the gate. "Is that the way to Xemnas?"

Sora nodded. "I think so."

* * *

><p>Everyone stood before Xemnas. He was different, now. He sat upon a throne, wearing strange armor and wielding a large spear.<p>

"_Cursed foooooools…_" Xemnas waved his spears, and many Dragoon spears were summoned. He waved again and they all homed in on Sora.

"I got this." Goofy stated, calmly. He walked up to Sora and held up his shield. "C'mon, Sora!"

"Right!"

Sora and Goofy ran up to Xemnas and started attacking in unison, with the same motions. As they did this, Demyx's water clones appeared.

"Waak!" Donald cast Firaga on all of them, as Axel's chakrams materialized.

"Rrrah!" Riku jumped up and swung his blade, knocking one chakram into the other, thus both onto the floor.

"_BEGONE._" Xemnas was about to swing his spear as a weapon itself at Sora and Goofy, but Donald jumped into the way and took the hit. He was knocked to the floor. Sora and Goofy were shocked.

"You monster! Let's finish this, Goofy!" Sora picked Goofy up.

"Ready, Sora!"

Sora sent Goofy flying like a missile, right into Xemnas's face.

"_AAAAAAAAAAAAHHHHHHH!_"

* * *

><p>Everyone was back together on the Altar of Naught. Donald was lying on his back and Goofy turned to him.<p>

"Donald, are you okay? Don't die! Who else will Sora and I have ice cream with?"

"Wakwakwak…" Donald started to cough a little. His coughs became mixed with quacks. "Aaaah… I'll be fine."

Goofy's eyes widened. "Donald, you can talk clearly now!"

Donald's eyes widened. "Well what do ya know? I guess being in that pod kind of made my throat screwy, and when Xemnas hit me, it was back to normal!"

"Glad to hear it!" Mickey said.

"Excuse me, but I'm dying." Xemnas brought everyone's attention back to him. "It is unfortunate… I lacked the hearts necessary. The rage and the hatred."

Sora shook his head. "Xemnas, there's more to a heart than that. Don't you remember?"

Xemnas looked down. "No. I do not…" With that, he faded away.

Everyone stood still for a moment, unsure of the implications. Had they finally won?

"Oh boy!" Mickey leaped up. "You did it!"

Donald and Goofy initiated a victory dance, as Kairi and Mickey watched. Sora, on the other hand, noticed that Riku was moping.

"Riku, what's wrong?"

"Well, there's the fact that I gave in to the darkness and inadvertently might've had something to do with the islands being destroyed. How do you come home after that?"

"Very carefully." Sora joked.

"… Hahahaha!" Riku laughed. "Look at you, learning how to be a smart aleck."

The entire altar shook briefly, causing one of the decorations on the walls to come loose. Mickey grew concerned.

"We should probably get out of here."

"As weird as it sounds, I kind of wish I still had the dark power," Riku started, "so that I could make a portal for us."

"So how do we leave?" asked Kairi. Donald looked back to the stairway that led them to the altar and spoke up.

"Can't we just take the long way back to Twilight Town? I mean it kind of sucks, but-"

Donald was interrupted by the appearance of a new dark portal. It was conjured by the ghost of Namine, unbeknownst to anyone.

"Oh. Well that's convenient I guess." Donald started walking in, when Pluto bolted up the stairs and tackled the magician. "Hey what's the big idea?"

"Pluto? Where have you been?" Mickey asked. Pluto looked over and ran up to Mickey, licking him plenty of times. "Oho! Hey, that tickles! Easy, Pluto!"

Mickey got Pluto off of him, so the dog ran into the portal. The king then helped Donald up and the two walked in.

"Welp, looks like our work here is done. Let's skedaddle!" Goofy waved his arm, motioning towards the portal. He was the next to walk through.

Sora and Kairi tried to head into the portal, but Namine reappeared.

"Thank you." Kairi said.

Namine smiled and then turned to Sora. "See? We met again, just like we promised."

"… We did?" asked Sora.

"Sure did." a new voice answered. The image of Roxas stepped out of Sora.

"Whoa! Are you… Roxas?"

Roxas turned back at Sora and smiled before speaking to Namine again. "You were right, we met again. We waited a long time and we didn't recognize each other at first, but here we are."

Namine smiled once again. "We didn't fade into darkness like the other Nobodies. We met our original selves, and we can be together! … As long as Sora and Kairi are together."

"Yep!" Kairi responded. "Every day."

Namine walked over to Kairi and held out her hand. Kairi accepted and Namine began to glow. Before long, she disappeared. Sora was confused.

"So… what just-"

Roxas walked up to Sora. "Your turn!"

"Oh! Uh, by the way, I'm sorry if I-"

"Don't worry about it." reassured Roxas. He glowed and disappeared into Sora.

Kairi walked into the portal. "Come on, guys!"

"Right behind you." Riku spoke up and started heading for the portal. But before he could, the portal disappeared.

"…"

"…"

"… Riku… the portal just-"

"I know, Sora. I was there."

The boys were alone upon the Altar of Naught. Sora rubbed his chin.

"… Well I guess we could still take the long way to Twilight Town, like Donald sai-"

But Sora never finished his suggestion.

* * *

><p>In the darkness beyond the city, Xemnas's dragon warship emerged from the horizon. The monstrosity rammed the top of the Castle That Never Was, making the altar collapse.<p>

"Oh no!" Sora was trying hard to stay balanced, but Riku noticed a small vehicle on one of the ship's wings.

"Hmm… This is gonna be tricky."

He jumped up and made it to the small vehicle. It had a small platform sticking out the side, so Sora could ride on it as a passenger. The boy flew to the crumbling castle.

"Sora, get on!"

"Right!" He made a leap and landed onto the platform. "We're gonna take that thing down?"

"We're gonna take that thing down."

* * *

><p>Xemnas's ship kept flying through the darkness of the world. Riku and Sora gave chase on their small machine.<p>

"Where's he going, anyway?" Sora wondered.

"Honestly? No clue. But let's bust his cylinders."

"Those came back? Aw man…"

Riku flew up next to one of the cylinders, and some Bomb Bells materialized.

"Tick-tock."

"Tick-tock."

They started firing missiles at the duo, but Riku activated the ship's absorption shields. "Hey Sora, there's a meter on this thing that's charging with the more hits we take. I think we can unleash all this energy on the cylinder."

"Cool! I'll just… stand."

When the meter was full, Riku reversed the shields and unloaded all the energy onto the Bomb Bells and the nearest cylinder, causing it to fall off and explode. The boys nodded at each other and decided to do the same to the other cylinder, as more Bomb Bells arrived.

"Loading… loading… Now!"

The second cylinder was soon destroyed, leaving Xemnas's dragon ship as merely a dragon. Sora was confused.

"Hey Riku, what good was destroying the cylinders if it can still fly?"

Riku rolled his eyes. "Well dang it Sora, it's not like I _knew_ he'd still be able to fly that thing!"

"Well how about we aim for the wings then?"

"Right."

Suddenly, the ship started firing lasers at the boys. Riku quickly dodged, while Sora had another question.

"How am I staying attached to this thing?"

"Not now Sora!" More Bomb Bells appeared. "All right, make yourselves useful."

The Bomb Bells began attacking again, but Riku merely repeated his past strategy. When the time came, he unloaded all the energy onto the left wing, pushing the whole thing apart from the rest of the ship.

"All right, one more!" Sora cheered. "Even though it really shouldn't be able to fly with just one wing and no cylinders…"

Thus Riku kept up the usual method until finally both wings had been removed. Then something caught his eye. "Hey there's a tiny bit of energy left. I have a plan."

Riku piloted the machine toward the head of the dragon. He turned so that they were facing it and let out the last bit of energy, right at the dragon's head.

In response, the dragon crashed into the darkness below. But it did not last long, as the dragon rose up and created voids all around it.

"For crying out loud…" Riku muttered.

* * *

><p>Sora and Riku jumped from the small ship and onto the dragon's head, finding themselves face to face with the armored version of Xemnas upon his throne. Sora looked down.<p>

"I realized, I never got a chance to thank Namine. I think I remember everything now."

Riku's gaze stayed on Xemnas. "Neat. But right now, let's focus on this guy."

"_I shall send you into the void. Just look._"

Sora and Riku turned around and saw their small ship flying into the void.

"_Nothingness… IS ETERNAL!_"

Sora and Riku ran up to Xemnas, but he swung his new axe weapon and knocked them both far, far away from him, into the open airspace between the ship and the void.

"_Guard._" Xemnas chanted. The remains of his ship created a shield. "_Attack._" Buildings were sent flying at Sora and Riku.

"More buildings? Can't say I've seen a lot of weirder weapons. And what's with the fact that we can float?" snarked Riku. "… Sora? Where are you?"

"Hey Riku!" Sora called. Riku turned around and noticed that Sora was farther away from the ship than he was. "I have a plan! I'll knock one to you, and you can ride it and smash his shield!"

"Uh… okay… I think." Riku was a little confused.

"Heads up!" Sora swung his Keyblade and sent the skyscraper toward Riku. The older boy hopped on and rode it right into Xemnas's ship's shield. They bounced off, but the shield was weakened.

"Time's up!" Riku then swung at the building himself, breaking the building and the shield to bits. Both of the friends started making their way back to the ship.

"_Sora, are you certain you can trust Riku?_"

"Yes!"

"_Oh but Riku. Are you not jealous of Sora?_"

Riku landed on the dragon head first. "Don't waste your breath, Xemnas. We're not turning on each other. We're beating you together."

Sora landed next. "Yeah!"

The two ran up to Xemnas once more, but this time when the enemy swung his axe, they were prepared.

"Shield!" Riku cast a protective spell that made the axe bounce off of a force field, and backwards so that the axe was stuck on the wall behind Xemnas.

"_Cursed foo-_" Before he could finish taunting, Xemnas got the full punishment from both Two Become One and Way to the Dawn. "_AAAAAAAAHHH! Why…_"

Xemnas slouched over. But then, before anything could be done, Riku noticed that the dragon ship was now much closer to the void than before. Much, much closer.

"This won't end well…"

* * *

><p>"<em>… ora… up… Sora… up!<em>"

"Huh?" Sora asked.

"_Wake up, Sora!_"

Sora opened his eyes and stood up. He and Riku were in a strange place. There were white and gray voids all around.

"Where… are we?"

"I don't know. Either we're inside that void or maybe it took us somewhere else."

"Ahem." Xemnas cleared his throat. Sora and Riku looked over.

Sora narrowed his eyes. "Oh great, you're still here." But then his friendly demeanor returned. "At least you found yourself a cooler coat."

It was true, Xemnas now wore a robe of black and white.

"Yes… But more importantly…" Xemnas began, "If light and dark are eternal, than surely nothingness must be eternal as well."

Riku smirked. "Yeah. I guess you're right." He summoned his Keyblade. "But you know what?"

Sora summoned his Keyblade as well. "_You're_ not."

Xemnas chuckled. "We shall see…" Then, in a flash, his Ethereal Blades were drawn and he was right in front of Sora, swinging.

"Whoa!" Sora jumped out of the way and tried to land a shot on Xemnas, but the Nobody was swinging too quickly and too often.

Riku went in to attack. "Forget about _me_, Xemnas?"

An exact copy of Xemnas materialized and attacked Riku from behind. "No. We did not."

Both Xemnas and his copy began shooting ethereal, black and white streams of thorns at Sora and Riku.

"_Bind!_"

"_We shall go together._"

Sora turned to Riku. "If they're attacking together…"

"We should too."

Sora and Riku started firing magical attacks at both of the enemies while avoiding thorns.

"Back off!"

"Time's up!"

The boys summoned a few swords to float around them again, and sent them all after the enemies. Then they threw their Keyblades, one on each said of the Xemnas duo.

"You're gonna lose it all!" Riku called, seemingly activating the blasts from both Keyblades.

"UUUUUUAAAAAAAAA!" Xemnas and his doppelganger screamed in unison. The original narrowed his eyes and teleported right up to Sora.

Xemnas began flying around and setting laser traps for the boy, but Sora kept jumping out of the way. Each time this would happen, until Xemnas appeared right before Sora.

"Can you spare… _a heart?_" His hand began to glow as he picked up Sora by the chest.

"Uh, no?"

"Let us find out."

Riku prepared to attack Xemnas, but the copy appeared before him and knocked him away, all the while the original Xemnas was beginning to drain the life out of Sora.

"Riku… help…"

"I'm there!" Riku began running back toward Xemnas. The clone kept appearing in the way, but Riku cut through him and continued running.

"Not so fast, Riku." the clone said, reappearing.

"Rrrr!"

Riku tried to attack the clone, but it drew Ethereal Blades and began attacking. Riku jumped to the side and continued running. When the clone teleported once again, Riku wasted no time and attacked on sight, making the clone disappear for good.

"You will be too late, Riku." the real Xemnas told him.

"That's enough!" He ran over and hit the Superior Nobody with a mighty swing.

"Aaaah!" Xemnas recoiled in pain and dropped Sora. Before anything could happen, Riku cast Curaga on Sora.

"Phew. Thanks!"

Riku nodded. "No problem."

"_Fools, there is no such thing as light. So why don't you both vanish? NOW!_"

Sora and Riku looked up and noticed that Xemnas began amassing a large cloud of ethereal blades in the air surrounding everyone.

"… Ready, Riku?"

Riku smiled. "Born ready."

Xemnas waved his arms, causing the blades to come falling down onto Sora and Riku. The boys acted quickly and started moving around, making sure to reflect every last one. There were many blades, and it was not easy, but after a few minutes, Xemnas was out of blades, and the boys were still in one piece. Exhausted, but in one piece.

"Heh… Is that all?" Riku asked. Xemnas teleported down to his level and knocked him away with one of his personal blades.

Sora was furious. "Hey!"

"Your turn." He began to swing at Sora, but Riku came back and blocked with his Keyblade. "If you insist, Riku." Xemnas attacked Riku even harder, sending him back.

"Aaaaah! Sora!" Riku threw his Keyblade to his friend, and Sora caught it.

"Right!"

Sora jumped over to Xemnas and assaulted him with both his and Riku's Keyblades. "You're done, Xemnas!" The finishing blow knocked Xemnas away, and Sora landed next to Riku.

"Come on, Riku. Help hold this." He offered Two Become One to Riku. Riku nodded and held it alongside Sora. They held the Keyblade up.

"_Fools…_"

Before Xemnas could finish, a beam came from the Keyblade and impaled Xemnas.

"_AAAAAAAAAAAHHHH! NO…_"

Finally, Sora ran up to him and got in one last swing with his Keyblade.

"_AAAAAAAAHHHHHH! Curses… Keyblade…_"

Xemnas writhed in agony and tried to reach out to Sora. But it was over, and he was defeated. Xemnas began to fade away into black and white ribbons of nothingness.

Sora watched. Riku watched too, still injured.

"… So… Is this one for real, or is he gonna come back in an even bigger ship?" asked Sora.

Riku thought for a second. "… I think we're finished."

"All right! Let's go!"

Riku was still on the 'floor'. "Yeah, about that… I don't think I'll be able to go anywhere."

Sora looked back and saw Riku's condition. "Oh… … Well don't worry, I can probably help you."

"Okay, but then what? We're literally in the middle of nowhere."

Sora waved his hand dismissively. "Oh, it'll all work out. You just gotta think positive. Let's go."

"… Okay."

Sora walked over to Riku and began to help him up. Riku's arm was slung around Sora's shoulders, and Sora started walking both of them out.

"_Hisssss…_"

Confused, Sora and Riku looked around. An army of Dusks was surrounding them. The Nobodies began trying to pounce on the Keyblade wielders, but vanished into light just as quickly.

"…"

"…"

"… Riku, those Nobodies-"

"I know, Sora. I was there."

* * *

><p>Sora and Riku found themselves on a dark beach. This looked to be the same beach where Xemnas spoke to Roxas, all that time ago. Not that these two would know that.<p>

"… How did we get from a void to a beach?" Sora wondered. "… Oh well." He kept walking. Soon, they made it to the edge of the water.

"I think this is it. You can let go now, Sora. I can walk."

Sora let Riku go, and the two just stood there for a bit. Then Riku fell over.

"Waah! Riku, are you okay?" Sora was freaked out. Riku started propping himself up.

"Yeah, I'm good." He was adjusting himself so that he would be in a sitting position. "So… I guess this is where we belong now. We can be the darkness."

Sora did not understand. "… We can? You mean about how the Realm of Light is safe?" Sora sat down.

"Yeah…"

The friends sat on the beach. There was no way to tell how long they were there. Riku looked around.

"… Can you help me down to the water?"

Sora sighed. "All right…"

* * *

><p>Sora and Riku were sitting at the edge, the waves splashing against their shoes.<p>

"You know, Sora, Xemnas was right about on thing. I was kind of jealous. Of the way you're always able to live your life. So carefree and happy all the time…"

Sora shrugged. "Well, I have my own problems. I mean, my shoes are too big, I have poor sense of direction, and… well I kind of always wanted to be like you."

Riku laughed. "Yeah, something's wrong with you all right."

"Oh thanks!" Sora laughed back.

"But there is one good thing about being me."

"The long, silver hair?"

Riku looked at Sora flatly. "… No. I was talking about having you for a friend."

"Oh!" Sora was flattered. "Well then I guess being me has its good parts too." He smiled.

Riku noticed something in the water by his feet. "Hello, what's this?" He picked it up. It was a letter in a bottle. "Huh. Wonder what it says."

Riku opened the bottle and raised his eyebrows. Sora looked over.

"What is it?"

"It's for you." He passed it to his friend.

Sora took the letter.

"_Thinking of you wherever you are… … our hearts will blend. … Starting a new journey… There are many worlds, but they share the same sky- the same destiny. Your friend, Kairi._"

The second Sora finished reading Kairi's letter, a bright light appeared. It was a door for Sora and Riku.

"Oh hey! That looks promising!" Sora was beaming. He stood up and looked down to Riku, offering a hand. "Come on, let's go!"

Riku smiled and took Sora's hand, helping to hoist himself up. With that, the two walked into the door.

* * *

><p>Sora and Riku fell from the sky like two falling stars. They landed in the ocean, by the sunset. When they resurfaced, they heard a voice.<p>

"Sora! Riku!"

The boys looked. It was Kairi! Their island! They were home!

"Riku, we're-"

"Back!"

The boys quickly started swimming back to shore. Sora was ahead and went a little ways, but he stopped when he heard a familiar laugh.

"Ahyuck!"

Donald and Goofy ran out and tackle-hugged Sora.

"Sora, you're okay!" Donald cheered.

"You had us worried, but now yer back!"

Mickey came out and gave Riku the same greeting.

"Mickey!" Riku caught Mickey and returned the hug.

"Hu-huh!" the king laughed.

Donald and Goofy kept a hold on Sora. The boy laughed and looked over to Kairi. For a brief second, his heart saw Namine. And Kairi's heart saw Roxas.

Sora pulled out a strange leaf. It was a charm Kairi had once given him, for good luck.

"It took a little longer, but we're back!" Sora smiled. He and Kairi joined hands, returning the charm to its owner.

"Welcome home."

* * *

><p><em>So what happened to everyone after things were sorted out?<em>

**_DISNEY CASTLE_**  
><em>Mickey, Donald, Goofy, Pluto, Huey, Dewey, Louie, and even Uncle Scrooge all returned home. Queen Minnie and Daisy in particular were very happy.<em>

**_TWILIGHT TOWN_**  
><em>It was time again for the Struggle tournament! Hayner challenged Seifer for the title!<em>

**_100 ACRE WOOD_**  
><em>Pooh Bear and all of his friends frolicked and lived their lives as they always would. Sometimes they would gather on the starry hill and look at the moon. They would think of Sora.<em>

**_THE LAND OF DRAGONS_**  
><em>Mulan and Shang grew closer… while Yao, Ling, and Chien Po liked to watch. So did Mushu.<em>

**_BEAST'S CASTLE_**  
><em>Belle and Beast grew closer too. Then one night, it happened: Beast and the servants finally returned to his human form.<em>

**_OLYMPUS COLISEUM_**  
><em>Hercules, Megara, Phil, and even Pegasus had finally restored the coliseum to its original glory. Auron, satisfied at last, returned to wherever he came from.<em>

**_PORT ROYAL_**  
><em>Will Turner and Elizabeth Swann joined Captain Jack Sparrow for some great voyage.<em>

**_HALLOWEEN TOWN_**  
><em>Jack Skellington began cooking up frightening ideas for next Halloween, announcing them for all in Halloween Town to hear.<em>

**_SPACE PARANOIDS_**  
><em>Tron got an upgrade. Now he's a master of dancing.<em>

**_TIMELESS RIVER_**  
><em>Captain Pete sailed the river with his own boat finally back under his control. King Mickey of the past continued to be the little prankster he always had been.<em>

**_AGRABAH_**  
><em>Aladdin and Jasmine enjoyed a ride on Carpet… with Genie.<em>

**_ATLANTICA_**  
><em>Ariel had become a human at last, and was married to Eric. Triton, Sebastian, and Flounder watched from the sea, happy for her.<em>

**_PRIDE LANDS_**  
><em>Simba and Nala watched as Rafiki showed their cub, Kiara, to all of the animals in the Pride Lands, from the edge of Pride Rock.<em>

**_RADIANT GARDEN_**  
><em>Yuffie and Cid enjoyed some ice cream, whenever the Gull Wings weren't messing with them. Leon read a letter from someone important to him, while Aerith merely enjoyed the sight of a restored Radiant Garden.<em>

**_DESTINY ISLANDS_**  
><em>Sora wandered into the secret cave back home. He reminisced as he saw all of the old drawings that he and his friends would etch during childhood. Then he noticed a picture that had changed since he was last there. There was a picture of him and Kairi giving each other a Paopu Fruit. Last time, he drew himself giving her the fruit. Since then, Kairi returned the favor. Sora smiled.<em>

_And for a time, peace reigned in the many worlds. All was well, all were safe. … Or so everyone believed…_

* * *

><p>After an unknown amount of time passed, Sora and Riku were relaxing on the curvy tree on the small islet just by their island. It was as if nothing had ever changed.<p>

"… This is nice." Riku commented.

"Yeah…"

"Guys!" Kairi's voice called out. She was running toward them, and she held a bottle. "Look what I found!"

Sora turned around. "Jack's jar of dirt?"

"Let it go, Sora." Riku told him. Kairi made it to the small island and everyone gathered together.

"You have a letter, look!" Kairi showed Sora the bottle. Inside was a letter, and it had King Mickey's seal.

"Wow! What could it mean?" Sora took the bottle and opened it. What did it say? It would remain a mystery…

… But now it's not a mystery. Here:

_Hey fellas! King Mickey Mouse, here!_  
><em>I hope you're all doing okay! We're fine here at the castle, but something came up, and it concerns all of you.<em>

_I wanted to tell you right away, about memories from the past that sleep within you, and about the pieces that will tie you to your future._

_Sora, Riku, Kairi._

_That the truth behind the Keyblade has found its way through so many people. And now I know that it rests in your hearts._

_Sora. You are who you are, because of those people. But they're hurting. And you're the only one who can end their sadness. They need you! It's possible that all your journeys so far have been preparing you for this great new task that's waiting for you!_

_I should've known there are no coincidences. Only links in a much larger chain of events. And now the door to your next journey is ready to be opened._

* * *

><p>Sora sat alone upon the tree, holding the empty bottle. Riku and Kairi walked up.<p>

"So… Now what?" Riku asked. "Have you decided?"

Sora nodded. He stood up and walked over to Kairi.

"I'm sorry, Kairi. But if they need me, I can't just sit around. The King said I am who I am because of them, right? I'll be back. I promise it won't be for a year again."

Kairi smiled. She pulled out her charm and gave it to Sora.

"See you soon, Sora."

_**Kingdom Hearts II**_

* * *

><p><strong><em>Battle Report:<em>**  
><em>Game Level - Fan Fiction Mode<em>  
><em>Completion of Jiminy's Journal - 95%<em>  
><em>Completion of Gummi Routes 1%<em>  
><em>Healed Party Members - 0 times<em>  
><em>Saved by Mickey - 1 time (Chapter 14)<em>  
><em>Most Common Drive - Valor &amp; Wisdom (5 each)<em>  
><em>Anti Form - 4 times<em>  
><em>Most Used Summon - Chicken Little (twice)<em>

**_Drive Report:_**  
><em>Valor Form - 5 (Ch. 2, 3, 3, 6, 10)<em>  
><em>Wisdom Form - 5 (Ch. 7, 8, 13, 18, 23)<em>  
><em>Master Form - 4 (Ch. 12, 15, 21, 23)<em>  
><em>Limit Form - 2 (Ch. 12, 22)<em>  
><em>Final Form - 2 (Ch. 24, 25)<em>  
><em>Anti Form - 4 (Ch. 5, 8, 11, 24)<em>

**THE END**

* * *

><p><strong>Author's Notes:<strong>

Ta-da! We're here!

Chapter title wasn't too creative, but I thought this story's been going on long enough. I think it's earned a more respectable title, at least by way of chapter title. Oh and I'm tired of the joke with Donald's quacking (and figured other people were too), so he can talk now. And in any possible prequels.

And yeah, I added to the game's actual ending by showing Mickey's letter and the aftermath. The reason why is because I do want to leave the door open to writing a _Dream Drop Distance_ parody. That's the next Kingdom Hearts game that I want to write about, and I really don't want to do a _re:Coded_ parody. I'd also like to try _Birth By Sleep_ and _Days_, but one step at a time.

I'd like to take the time to say how special this is for me. I've had this story in my head for years. Ever since the ending of the game 7 years ago, in fact. I showed early drafts of the entire first half of the story to a friend. It wasn't until late 2011 that I finally decided to improve the story, work in ties to the games released since then, and show it to all of you. So I guess you could say that this story was years in the making. And now it's finally behind me. We're done.

But before we go, I'd like to thank everyone who read this story. Thank you for reading, for reviewing, for lurking, even an occasional constructive criticism. You don't write a story for the reviews, you do it for the sake of writing, but you people have helped improve my experience writing this story, showing that at least some people out there were entertained, even if only for a few minutes. So thank you. I hope you've enjoyed _Kingdumb Hearts II_, and will enjoy the rest of your day.


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